No. 1: She Will Be A Soldier 1798

Heinrich Joseph Schutz made this print, “No. 1: She Will Be A Soldier,” using etching and aquatint. Here, the artist used a copper plate to create an image, where line work is etched and then the tone is added with aquatint. The aquatint is achieved by applying resin to the plate, creating a porous surface which when dipped in acid, results in a grainy tonal effect. Once the image is built up it is inked and printed. It can then be carefully hand colored, as we see here. Printmaking like this was essential to the development of visual culture during the early 19th century. It allowed for the relatively inexpensive dissemination of images, including political cartoons and social commentary. The professionalization of the soldier during this period and social commentary are all wrapped up in this one print. Ultimately, paying attention to Schutz’s methods helps us understand not only the image itself, but also the means by which it circulated within society.