Moskovische dienstmeid 1764

Jean Baptist Leprince made this print, Moskovische dienstmeid, using etching, a printmaking technique that democratized image-making. The matrix material of this etching is metal, likely copper. The plate would first be coated in a waxy, acid-resistant ground. The artist then scratches an image into the ground, exposing the metal, before submerging the plate in acid, which bites into the metal where exposed. The longer the plate is left in the acid, the deeper the lines become, and the darker they will print. Prints like these were often bound in sets, and provided Europeans with an aestheticized view of faraway lands. The final image, a mirror of what was drawn, is created when ink is applied to the plate and then transferred to paper using a press. Prints blurred the lines between art, craft, and industry, making images accessible to a broad audience. Understanding the etching process opens a window onto the social and economic context in which it was made.