Gezicht op het dorp Driewegen 1786 - 1792

Carel Frederik Bendorp’s etching presents us with the village of Driewegen. As an etching, this work depends on the controlled corrosion of metal. The artist would have coated a copper plate with wax, then carefully scratched away the surface to create this composition. The plate was then submerged in acid, which bit into the exposed metal, creating grooves. Ink was applied to the plate, then wiped away, remaining only in the etched lines. The plate was pressed onto paper, transferring the image. This printmaking method allowed for the efficient replication of images, aligning perfectly with the rise of a consumerist culture. Note the cobblestone streets and wooden buildings – these are all rendered visible through the precise, repeatable processes of etching. The work encapsulates the tension between individualized artistry and mechanical reproduction. The print invites us to consider not only what is depicted, but how its making participates in the social and economic currents of its time.