The Governor of Schopfheim, plate seven from Zehn Blätter zu Hebels Alemannischen Gedichten 1820

Sophie Reinhard created "The Governor of Schopfheim" using etching, a printmaking process that uses acid to corrode the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design. This design is then used to print an image. The labor-intensive processes of etching allowed for the detailed replication and dissemination of images. The technique involves applying a wax-like ground to a metal plate, drawing through the ground to expose the metal, and then immersing the plate in acid. The acid bites into the exposed metal, creating lines. By repeating this process, the artist can create a wide range of tones and textures, evident in the shading and detail of Reinhard’s work. This print is part of a series illustrating poems by Johann Peter Hebel. Through the medium of printmaking, Reinhard's work brings literature to a wider audience, and the reproductive nature of this artform democratizes it. Appreciating the techniques and labor involved in its creation reveals the complex relationship between art, production, and access in the 19th century.