Vrouw zittend bij de haard 1860 - 1907

Theodoor Verstraete created this etching, Vrouw zittend bij de haard, using a metal plate, acid, and ink. It is a relatively reproducible image, yet it carries a potent sense of immediacy. Etching allowed artists like Verstraete to translate the qualities of a drawing into a print. The metal plate is coated with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, and the artist draws through this coating with a sharp needle, exposing the metal. Immersed in acid, the exposed lines are eaten away, creating grooves that hold the ink. The plate is then printed, transferring the image onto paper. The result is characterized by a network of fine lines and subtle tonal variations. These are the visible traces of Verstraete’s hand, and also of the chemical action of the acid. The mood is one of weariness, the woman slumped in exhaustion – perhaps a comment on the endless labor of domestic life. We should note that the artist, though deeply empathetic, was not himself engaged in this kind of labor. He observed it. And in a sense, consumed it.