Det indre af en skov 1854

Vilhelm Kyhn made this print, ‘Det indre af en skov’, using a metal plate to transfer the image onto paper. The technique, etching, involves coating a metal plate with wax, then drawing through the wax to expose the metal. The plate is then submerged in acid, which bites into the exposed lines. Ink fills these etched lines, and the image is transferred to paper under high pressure, creating a print. The intense labor involved in etching is evident, requiring patience and skill to create the fine lines and tonal gradations that define this forest interior. There's a sense of intimacy here: the texture of the trees, the filtered light, and the density of the undergrowth. The print also reminds us of the increasing industrialization of the era. The ability to reproduce images mechanically transformed artistic practices, making art more accessible but also raising questions about originality, artistic skill, and the value of handmade versus mass-produced art. Ultimately, an etching is both a finely crafted object and a product of its time.