Komedie 1772 - 1779

Jean François Janinet created this print titled Komedie, using etching and the à la poupée process. The sepia ink conveys an array of imagery associated with theater, including musical instruments, masks, and what looks to be a figure dressed as a harlequin. What's really interesting here is the way Janinet printed it. À la poupée is a method where different colors are applied by hand directly onto the printing plate, before each impression. This transforms the print from a multiple to something closer to a monotype, a unique image. Janinet was a master of color printing, which in his time was a highly prized skill. It took a lot of labor to create an image like this. Every print run would be subtly different, bearing the mark of the maker’s hand. Knowing this, we might reflect on the division of labor that went into theatrical productions themselves, and the many hidden hands that are required to stage a convincing illusion.