Les Petits Buveurs de lait (The Little Milk Drinkers), from Suite d'estampes gravées par madame la marquise de Pompadour d'après les pierres gravées de Guay, graveur du Roi 1751

"Les Petits Buveurs de Lait," or "The Little Milk Drinkers," was etched in 1751 by Madame la Marquise de Pompadour. She was not only Louis XV’s mistress, but also a skilled printmaker, trained in the exacting techniques of engraving. The work's fine lines and delicate shading are achieved through a painstaking process. A metal plate is coated with wax, the design is then scratched into the wax, and the plate is immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed metal. The deeper the lines, the darker they appear in the final print. This process demands precision and control. While the subject matter is domestic and charming, the act of creating such prints was often a collaborative one, involving skilled artisans who prepared the plates and operated the printing presses. By mastering and engaging with these processes, Pompadour entered a world of craft production. This challenges our understanding of the division between aristocratic patronage and the skilled labor required to produce luxury items in 18th century France. It reminds us that artistic creation is always intertwined with social and material conditions.