Lezende vrouw

This print of a woman reading was made by an anonymous artist, and we know it is an etching. The image is made up of thousands of tiny etched lines, created by drawing through a wax ground on a metal plate, and then bathing it in acid. The longer the acid bites, the deeper the line, and the more ink it holds when printed. Look closely, and you can see how the artist has varied the density of the marks to create areas of light and shade. The texture of the lines give depth to the folds of her dress, which indicates both light and shadow. Prints like this were part of a growing culture of reproduction, where images could be made and sold in multiples. So although we don't know the artist, we can appreciate their skill in this relatively democratic art form.