Chain of Alps from Grenoble to Chamberi Possibly 1812

Joseph Mallord William Turner created this delicate scene of the Chain of Alps with etching, a printmaking technique. He would have applied a waxy ground to a metal plate, drawn through it with a needle to expose the metal, and then bathed the plate in acid, which bites into the drawn lines. The resulting print, like this one, bears the mark of that alchemical process. The acid-etched lines have a unique character, distinct from a pen or pencil drawing. Turner was deeply engaged with printmaking, and even published his own series of prints, known as the Liber Studiorum, to disseminate his vision. The network of lines creates a sense of depth and atmosphere, and encourages us to consider the relationship between landscape and industry; the figures in the foreground appear to be resting from labor in the fields. Ultimately, what makes this print so compelling is precisely the way Turner chose to reproduce his art, making it accessible to a wider audience, and capturing something essential about the modern experience.