Grand Entry of the Allied Sovereigns Into Paris n.d.

Robert Bowyer made this print, Grand Entry of the Allied Sovereigns Into Paris, using etching and aquatint. These are both intaglio processes, meaning that the image is incised into a metal plate, then inked and printed. Here, the etched lines define the contours of the scene – the buildings, the figures, the horses. But it’s the aquatint that really gives the print its atmosphere. This is achieved by sprinkling powdered resin onto the plate, then heating it so that the resin adheres. When acid is applied, it bites around each particle, creating a textured surface that holds ink. The result is a soft, tonal effect, almost like a watercolor. Prints like this were a key part of early 19th-century visual culture. They allowed current events, like this triumphal entry into Paris, to be widely disseminated. The labor involved was considerable, from the initial drawing to the skilled work of the engraver and printer, making this a powerful, and popular, medium. By attending to these aspects of the work, we can appreciate the important intersection of craft, design, and materiality.