Le Christ au tombeau (The Entombment) 1762 - 1763

Jean Jacques Lagrenée created this etching, "The Entombment," using a metal plate, acid, and ink. It's a powerful image, made all the more affecting by the directness of the etched line. The process begins with a polished metal plate, likely copper, covered with a waxy, acid-resistant ground. Lagrenée would have used a sharp needle to scratch his design into this ground, exposing the metal beneath. The plate is then submerged in acid, which bites into the exposed lines, creating grooves. Ink is applied to the entire plate, then carefully wiped away, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Finally, the plate is pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The starkness of the etching captures the raw emotion of the scene, while the cross-hatching adds depth and shadow. The etched line, with its capacity for both precision and expressive gesture, is perfectly suited to the subject matter. Ultimately, understanding the etching process allows us to appreciate Lagrenée’s skill and the way he used materials to convey meaning.