Bos met een vijver 1884

Eduard Weichberger made this print of a forest with a pond using etching. It's a process that democratized image-making in the 19th century. The fine lines and subtle gradations of tone you see were created by drawing into a wax-covered metal plate. The plate was then submerged in acid, which bit away at the exposed metal, creating recessed lines that would hold ink. The plate was then inked and pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The etching process allowed for the creation of multiple, relatively inexpensive prints, making art more accessible to a wider audience. But don't think that because it is reproducible that it doesn't take labor or skill. It is slow work to create such fine detail, all to capture the tranquil, serene experience of the forest. Weichberger's choice of etching reflects the changing relationship between art, labor, and consumption in an era of increasing industrialization, reminding us that even in the midst of modernity, there was still room for the handmade.