Superb Lily 1984

Jim Dine’s ‘Superb Lily’ is an etching, a printmaking process that harnesses the corrosive power of acid to make an image. The artist would have covered a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground, before scratching the image into it. This process then exposes the metal, allowing acid to bite into the plate, creating recessed lines that hold ink. The magic of etching lies in its capacity for nuanced detail and tonal variation. The depth of the lines determines how much ink they hold, influencing the darkness of the printed line. The delicate web of lines captures the lily's form, but also speaks to the labor involved in the work, and the artist's hand moving over the plate. As a multiple, prints democratize art, making it more accessible. Dine, in his embrace of the medium, engages with a history where fine art meets craft, complicating traditional hierarchies. It reminds us that the value of art lies not only in its aesthetic appeal, but also in the skill, labor, and social context of its making.