Treurende vrouw, zittend op een bed 1832 - 1900

This image, "Mourning Woman, Sitting on a Bed," was made by Adolphe François Pannemaker, who lived in the 19th century. It's a print, likely an engraving or etching. This means Pannemaker would have painstakingly used a sharp tool to incise an image into a metal plate. That plate would then be inked and pressed onto paper, resulting in the image we see. The process itself is crucial to the picture’s impact. Think about the time and labor involved in creating all of those tiny lines, which add up to the overall scene. The material of the print, the paper, also contributes to its effect. The contrast of ink on its surface emphasizes the starkness of the woman's grief. This wasn't simply about artistic expression; printmaking was tied to the rise of mass media and consumption. These images were meant to be circulated, consumed, and perhaps sold. And so, in looking at this image, it's important to consider the social and economic context of its making, challenging traditional notions of art and craft.