Boerderij te Baarle-Nassau 1852 - 1906

Emilie Rolin-Jacquemijns made this etching of a farmhouse in Baarle-Nassau. Etching is an exacting process, where acid is used to bite into a metal plate, usually copper or zinc. The artist protects certain areas with a waxy ground, and then submerges the plate in acid. The longer the plate is exposed, the deeper the lines will be, and the darker they will appear when printed. It’s a skilled tradition that allows for nuanced tonal effects, and a degree of reproducibility. Here, the marks seem to emphasize the thatched roof of the building, and the rough texture of the surrounding foliage. As an etching, this work belongs to a history of creative practices that sits alongside painting and sculpture. But, in its focus on the material realities of rural life – the house, the crops, the vegetation – it also tells us something about the artist's social context. Looking closely at the materials and processes used, we can challenge traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.