Paddenstoelen 1912 - 1919

Chris Lebeau made this print of mushrooms using etching. The image's tonal variation comes from the etching process, in which lines are bitten into a metal plate with acid, and then inked and printed. The fineness of the lines creates a sense of depth, while the crispness of the print allows for a high level of detail. We see the gills underneath the caps, and the texture of the surfaces. Lebeau was not only an artist but also an anarchist. He embraced printmaking in part because it was a medium of multiples, of dissemination. This was ideally suited to the distribution of propaganda, including textile designs. He was eventually murdered in 1945 for forging documents for people in the resistance. So when you look at this seemingly quiet image, bear in mind that it comes to us through a process, and a life, deeply engaged with social and political concerns. It is a reminder that there is no such thing as a purely aesthetic choice.