Market Workers 1939

Albert Gold created this print, “Market Workers,” in 1939 using etching. The image is made up of incised lines, which hold ink that’s then transferred to paper. The process involves coating a metal plate with a waxy ground, drawing an image into that ground, and then submerging the plate in acid. The acid bites away at the exposed metal, creating recessed lines. This labor-intensive technique allowed Gold to achieve a wide range of tonal values, from deep blacks to delicate grays. The etching process itself is significant. It’s a method of indirect production, mirroring the distance between labor and product that comes with industrial capitalism. The image, too, shows the impact of labor on the human body. The stooped postures and weary expressions of the workers, rendered through Gold’s masterful lines, speak volumes about the realities of working-class life. Paying attention to materials and making allows us to understand the artwork and the economic context in which it was created.