Polderhuis met de sluis in Boerenwetering te Amsterdam 1848 - 1902

This is an etching of a 'Polderhuis met de sluis in Boerenwetering te Amsterdam’ by Frans Schikkinger. It's made using etching, a printmaking technique where a metal plate is coated with wax, a design is scratched into the wax, and then acid is used to bite into the exposed metal. The materiality of the metal plate, the precision of the etching needle, and the corrosive action of the acid, all contribute to the image's appearance. Look at the fine lines, the delicate hatching, and the subtle tonal variations. These are achieved through carefully controlled chemical processes. The artist has used their skill to capture a sense of place and atmosphere. But consider that etching itself is also an industrial process, demanding skilled labor and the use of specialized materials. The print you see here is both a work of art, and evidence of a complex network of production and consumption. Appreciating this context allows us to see the image not just as a representation, but as a product of its time.