Landschap met bomen en ven 1876 - 1911

Adolphe van Weezel Errens made this etching of a landscape with trees and a fen, a low and marshy land, using metal plate and acid. The image's strength resides in the artist's masterful manipulation of the etching process. Look at the close parallel lines and cross-hatching, building up a rich, velvety darkness. Van Weezel Errens coaxed an impressive tonal range from the metal, achieving a remarkable luminosity in the reflective surface of the water. Etching relies on the controlled corrosion of a metal plate to create an image. The artist covers the plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground, then scratches through the ground to expose the metal. When the plate is immersed in acid, the exposed lines are bitten, creating grooves that hold ink. The longer the plate is exposed, the deeper and darker the lines will be. The final print captures not only the scene, but also the labor-intensive process of its making. Appreciating the skill and time invested in this etching allows us to see the value in both fine art and craft traditions.