Urizen 1794

William Blake made this print, Urizen, using etching and watercolor, techniques rooted in the graphic arts. The etching process involves coating a metal plate with wax, drawing through it, and then submerging the plate in acid. This creates incised lines that hold ink, which are then transferred to paper. Blake was trained as an engraver, so he knew all about the division of labor involved in print production. However, Blake also added watercolor to many of his prints, and also did the printing himself. This put him in a very different position, much closer to that of a craftsperson. Look at the dramatic contrasts and muscular forms he creates through his handling of the media. The result has a decidedly handmade quality, challenging the notion of printmaking as a purely mechanical and reproductive process. Blake’s approach asks us to reconsider the social hierarchies embedded in art, where individual genius and the handmade have traditionally been privileged over mass production.