Jan Poortenaar met etsplaat en tampon
c. 1930 - c. 1950
Medium
gelatin silver print
Dimensions
172; 192
About this artwork
Schenking van M.C. Poortenaar-Veldhuyzen
Art Historical Context
This intimate gelatin silver print, dating from around 1930 to 1950, captures the Dutch artist Jan Poortenaar at work with his etching plate and tampon—a soft pad used for inking the plate in the meticulous process of intaglio printmaking. Measuring just 192 × 172 mm, the anonymous photograph offers a rare glimpse into the artist's studio, highlighting the hands-on craft of etching during a time when graphic arts flourished in the Netherlands. Jan Poortenaar (1886–1958) was renowned for his detailed etchings of cityscapes, architecture, and everyday scenes, blending precision with atmospheric...
About the Artist
anonymous
In the vast tapestry of art history, "Anonymous" stands not as a singular individual but as a collective designation for countless unidentified creators whose works have endured across millennia. These artists, spanning prehistoric cave painters to medieval illuminators and folk craftsmen, produced the foundational layers of human visual culture. Prior to the Renaissance, when individual fame emer...