Choristers, 2nd plate (Le lutrin) 

Alphonse Legros made this print, Choristers, using a metal plate, likely copper or zinc, etched with acid to create the image. The controlled corrosion of the metal is key. The varying depths of the etched lines determine how much ink the plate holds, and therefore, the tonal range of the print. Look closely, and you'll notice the cross-hatching technique Legros used to build up darker areas, requiring meticulous labor and technical skill. The corrosive ‘bite’ of the acid, balanced with the artist’s controlled mark-making, gives the image its character. Printmaking was intimately tied to social context, providing affordable imagery to a broad audience. Though Legros was a fine artist, the print medium democratized his work, making it accessible beyond elite circles. This challenges the conventional hierarchy separating fine art from more utilitarian forms of image production, highlighting the intricate relationship between artistic expression, labor, and distribution.