Man playing drums on horseback 1727 - 1800

This etching, made by Francesco Casanova, a Venetian artist, is a great example of the power of line. The printmaking process, here using metal, begins with a polished plate. The artist then covers it with a waxy ground, scratches an image into that surface, and immerses the whole thing in acid. This bites away the exposed metal, leaving behind recessed lines. Ink is then applied, the surface wiped clean, and the remaining ink is transferred to paper through intense pressure. Look closely and you'll notice the thousands of lines etched into the plate, which define the donkey’s form and create texture. It is this careful accumulation of labor that gives the image its richness and complexity. This simple image shows how craft and fine art can be interconnected, telling us about both the object represented, and the social conditions of its making.