Bedelende grijsaard 1798

Pieter Kikkert made this small etching of a begging old man, using a metal plate, acid, and paper. The linear quality of the image comes from the etching process. Kikkert would have covered the plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground, then scratched the image into the wax. The plate was then submerged in acid, which bit into the exposed metal, creating recessed lines. The deeper the bite, the darker the line would appear. After removing the wax, ink was applied and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Finally, the plate was pressed onto paper, transferring the image. Consider the social context here, with the old man’s tattered clothes, begging with his hat in his outstretched hand. The printmaking process allowed the image to be easily reproduced and distributed, potentially serving as social commentary, raising awareness, or soliciting aid for the less fortunate. It certainly serves as a reminder of the critical connection between art and life, craft and society.