En jæger som viser en lille pige sit bytte 1832

Constantin Hansen made this print, "A Hunter Showing a Little Girl his Prey," using an etching technique. It's all about the lines here, isn't it? Think about how Hansen would have worked, covering a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground, then scratching through it with a needle to create his image. The plate would then be immersed in acid, biting away the exposed metal. This process, known as etching, allowed him to create incredibly fine details and textures, you can see it especially in the girl's dress, and the way the hunter’s jacket conveys weight and substance. The image is imbued with cultural significance. You can consider the role of hunting in 19th-century society, and how it reflected the relationship between humanity and the natural world. What does it mean to present a dead bird to a child? Hansen really pushes the boundaries between fine art and craft, using a printmaking technique to explore narrative themes. He shows us that the way an artwork is made, and the materials used, are key to understanding its full meaning.