Riviergezicht 1890

Elias Stark made this river view using etching techniques. He worked with a metal plate, likely copper or zinc, coating it with a waxy, acid-resistant ground. The image was then drawn into this ground with a sharp needle, exposing the metal. Immersing the plate in acid then bites away at the exposed lines, creating recessed areas that hold ink. Stark would then apply ink to the entire plate, wiping the surface clean so that ink remained only in the etched lines. Finally, the plate and a sheet of paper were pressed together, transferring the ink to the paper to create the print you see here. This printmaking process democratized art in a way, as multiple identical impressions could be produced. The method relies on specialized skills and tools, combining technical precision with artistic vision, connecting it to both the world of craft and fine art.