Jan Poortenaar borstelt een etsplaat c. 1930 - 1950

This photograph, by an anonymous artist, captures Jan Poortenaar brushing an etching plate, immortalizing a moment of artistic creation. The stark monochrome palette lends a timeless quality, focusing our attention on the textures and gestures. Look closely at Jan’s hands. Notice the concentration etched on his face as he guides the brush, each stroke deliberate and careful. It’s like watching a dance, a conversation between the artist and his medium. The bristles of the brush, poised just above the plate, hint at the tactile nature of etching, a process of revealing hidden images through labor and care. There is something of Eadweard Muybridge here - a study of a figure caught in action, that allows us to appreciate the magic inherent in image making. The beauty is not in the final image but in the moments that precipitate its emergence, embracing ambiguity at every stage.