Landskaber 1768

This landscape, made by Arveprins Frederik, is an etching, a printmaking technique with a rich social history. The artist would have coated a metal plate with wax, then scratched an image into it. Dipping the plate in acid then bites away the exposed lines, which are then inked to make the print. The dense lines and intricate details in the landscape reveal the time and labor involved in the etching process. Notice the fine details of the trees, figures, and the rocky landscape that all required a steady hand and careful technique. Etching emerged as a relatively democratic medium, accessible to a wider range of artists than, say, oil painting. Prints like this could be reproduced and disseminated, carrying images and ideas across social strata. The inscription at the bottom tells us this print was dedicated to Queen Julienne Marie by her faithful son and servant. Looking closely at the materials and methods used here, we can see how the techniques, the social status of the artist, and printmaking's wider distribution, come together to give this image its full meaning.