Døden på slagmarken 1646 - 1700

This print, “Death on the Battlefield”, was made by an anonymous artist, and it's an etching, a type of printmaking. The process begins with a metal plate, usually copper or zinc, coated with a waxy, acid-resistant substance. The artist then scratches an image into this coating, exposing the metal. The plate is submerged in acid, which eats away at the exposed lines. The longer it sits in the acid, the deeper the lines become. For this print, the artist has used this technique to chilling effect, depicting death personified as a skeleton riding a horse across a battlefield strewn with corpses. The etched lines, so precise and deliberate, give an eerie beauty to the gruesome scene. The act of etching itself is labor-intensive, demanding careful skill and time. In a way, the print mirrors the realities of war – both are painstaking, wrought with detail, and ultimately, leave a permanent mark. This reflects a profound connection between materials, process, and the stark realities of its subject matter.