Silhouetportret van J.P.SP. van Eyk 1794 - 1800

This silhouette portrait of J.P. SP van Eyk was made by Hendrik Roosing, and printed by I.P. van Ginkel. It is a very unassuming, yet intriguing work, made using the technique of etching, a printmaking process that relies on the corrosive properties of acid. The artist would have covered a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, before scratching an image into the wax, exposing the metal beneath. The plate would then be dipped in acid, which bites into the exposed lines, creating grooves. These grooves hold ink, which is then transferred to paper under great pressure. Look closely and you can see the fineness of the lines achieved through this method. Etching made printmaking more accessible, and this rise in printmaking became deeply entwined with social and political movements. This seemingly simple portrait, therefore, speaks to a much wider world of labor, politics, and consumption. It’s a reminder that even the most modest of objects have their own stories to tell.