Orchideeën 1899 - 1937

Henriëtte van der Harten made this print of orchids using etching, a form of intaglio printing. This is an involved process. First, the artist would have applied a waxy ground to a metal plate, then drawn through it with a sharp needle to expose the metal underneath. The plate was then immersed in acid, which bit into the exposed lines, creating grooves. To make the print, the artist would ink the plate, wipe the surface clean, and then run it through a press with a sheet of paper. The pressure forces the paper into the incised lines to pick up the ink. This means that the image we see is, in a sense, a three-dimensional impression of the artist’s drawing. The resulting image is delicate, with a beautiful tonal range. But beyond its aesthetic qualities, the print also speaks to the labor and skill involved in its production. This challenges traditional notions of art, reminding us that craft and design are essential to our visual culture.