'Herzog Leopold von Braunschweig' 1785

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki created this print of Herzog Leopold von Braunschweig using etching, a printmaking technique dependent on acid. The process begins with a metal plate coated in wax. The artist then scratches an image into the wax, exposing the metal beneath. Immersed in acid, the exposed lines are eaten away, creating grooves. The plate is then inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Pressed onto paper, the image is transferred. The fineness of the lines and the subtle gradations of tone are products of this method, lending the print a delicate, almost ephemeral quality. Look closely, and you'll notice how the labor of the boatmen contrasts sharply with the Duke's refined attire. Chodowiecki masterfully uses etching to emphasize these social disparities. The careful craftsmanship of the print, in itself a product of skilled labor, invites us to consider the wider context of work and class in 18th-century society. It challenges the traditional hierarchy between fine art and craft, urging us to appreciate the artistry in both.