Music 1783

This print, ‘Music,’ was made in 1783 by Francesco Bartolozzi, using a technique called stipple engraving. Rather than the crisp lines you might expect from an engraving, Bartolozzi built up tone through thousands of tiny dots. This was achieved by using special tools, like dotted roulettes and needles, to create a plate that, when inked and pressed, would give this soft, almost pastel-like effect. Bartolozzi was a master of this technique, and his prints were highly sought after. The stipple engraving process allowed for softer gradations of light and shadow, mimicking the look of chalk or pastel drawings, and offered printmakers a versatile way to reproduce a wide range of images. The effect is quite different from a starkly linear engraving, which would have been the more traditional approach at the time. So, next time you look at a print, think about the labor involved in creating those subtle effects and the artist's choice to engage with the materials and processes in such a delicate way.