Portret van Michel le Masle 1777

This is a portrait of Michel le Masle, made by Johann Heinrich Lips using etching. Etching is a printmaking process that relies on acid to bite into a metal plate, usually copper or zinc. The plate is coated with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, and the artist scratches an image into this coating, exposing the metal beneath. Then, the plate is immersed in acid, which eats away at the exposed lines, creating grooves. The longer the plate stays in the acid, the deeper the lines become, which will affect how much ink they hold. The plate is then inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched grooves. When paper is pressed against the plate, the image is transferred, creating a print. The quality of the lines, their depth, and the overall texture of the print depend on the artist’s skill and control over the etching process. It's a painstaking, labor-intensive method that has been used for centuries. Considering the amount of work that goes into this portrait, it makes you wonder, who was Michel le Masle, and why did he deserve such careful attention?