Norfolk; From Gosport, Virginia, plate five of the second number of Picturesque Views of American Scenery 1819 - 1821

This print, "Norfolk; From Gosport, Virginia," was made by John Hill, probably in the first half of the 19th century, using etching and aquatint. These are both printmaking processes that depend on the corrosive action of acid to create an image on a metal plate. The etched lines give the image its basic structure and detail, while the aquatint creates areas of tone. The whole thing is then printed in color, with considerable hand-finishing. Look closely and you can see the textures created by these processes, especially the granular quality of the aquatint. While the scene depicts leisure and commerce, it’s important to remember that this wealth was built on enslaved labor. Prints like this one were made in multiples, as commodities in their own right, helping to naturalize an economic order that was in fact brutally unjust. Paying attention to the making of things, and the conditions of their making, keeps us alert to these complex histories.