Tuin met grote boom 1932

This print, “Tuin met grote boom” (Garden with large tree), now in the Rijksmuseum, was made by Carel Adolph Lion Cachet using the technique of etching. An etching begins with a metal plate, often copper, coated with a waxy ground. The artist draws through this ground with a sharp needle, exposing the metal. The plate is then immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed lines, creating grooves. Ink is applied to the plate, filling these grooves, and the surface is wiped clean. Finally, the plate is pressed onto paper, transferring the ink and creating the print. Look closely, and you'll see the effect of this process: the fine, slightly irregular lines that give the image its texture and depth. In particular, consider how labor intensive this technique is compared to quick drawing practices. Cachet would have spent hours creating the metal plate, which would have been a painstaking process. It is the labor, and the unique qualities of the etched line, which give this work its distinct character. We often think of printmaking as a relatively mechanical process, but this work reminds us of the artist’s touch and his own engagement with the material.