Man die kastanjes poft / Twee eenden c. 1860 - 1900

This print, made by Johannes Arnoldus Boland, presents two contrasting scenes etched into a single plate. Notice how the etched lines create areas of tone and shadow; this is achieved with careful control of acid and timing. The making of a print like this necessitates skilled handwork, yet allows for the creation of multiple images from the same matrix. This positions printmaking as a fascinating intersection between craft and mechanical production. Here, the images themselves speak to this tension. On the left, we see a social scene, with figures gathered around a chestnut vendor. On the right, a tranquil landscape, with ducks at rest. The contrast prompts reflection on the relationship between human activity and nature. Boland prompts us to consider how the human labor involved in creating art mirrors the labor represented within it.