Untitled (Snow Scene) 1929

This evocative snow scene was etched by Vojtech Preissig, a Czech-American artist known for his embrace of modernism. He created this print using etching, a laborious process involving coating a metal plate with wax, drawing through the wax to expose the metal, and then immersing the plate in acid. The acid bites into the exposed lines, creating grooves that hold ink. Look closely and you’ll notice the delicate texture of the falling snow, achieved through careful manipulation of the etching process. The stark contrast between the dark lines and the white of the paper evokes the crispness of a winter day, and also speaks to the amount of work involved in producing the image. Preissig was deeply involved in artistic craft, as well as his Czech identity. By focusing on the material and the meticulous labor involved in etching, we can appreciate how Preissig elevated printmaking to a fine art, imbuing it with both technical skill, and cultural meaning.