Man met roeiboot in de grotten van Han 1849

Pierre Louis Dubourcq created this print of a man with a rowboat in the caves of Han. He used a technique called etching, which involves coating a metal plate with wax, drawing an image into the wax, and then dipping the plate in acid. The acid bites away the exposed metal, leaving behind an incised line that can then be inked and printed. The character of this print depends entirely on the patient build-up of those lines, which vary in thickness and density to create a convincing depiction of light and shadow. The textures of the cave are carefully evoked. Look at the dampness of the rocks, and the quiet surface of the water. The scale is important too: the lone figure of the man is dwarfed by the immensity of the cavern. The artist’s labor is apparent in the careful detail of the etching, yet the final result is an image of a vast space, prompting a sense of wonder. This print invites us to consider how an artwork’s meaning arises not only from its subject, but also from the way it is made.