An Old Guardsman c. 1938

Edward Hagedorn made this print, "An Old Guardsman," using the technique of etching. In this process, lines are bitten into a metal plate using acid, and then filled with ink and transferred to paper. The material qualities of the print are stark, with the composition featuring an image in black and white, set against the stark paper, which creates a somber mood. The process involves skill and precision, particularly in controlling the depth and width of the etched lines. Hagedorn likely used specialized tools to create the design on the metal plate. The image itself speaks volumes. The skeletal guardsman, the rifle, and the graveyard all suggest themes of mortality, labor, and social unrest, perhaps reflecting the anxieties of his time. The laborious process of etching, combined with the grim subject matter, underscores the deep investment of work that went into producing this image, blurring the lines between craft, fine art, and social commentary.