Hoofd van Maria 1759

Jean-Charles François made this Head of Mary using etching, sometime in the 18th century. It's a print, created through a process that's all about controlled corrosion. François would have coated a metal plate with wax, scratched his design into the wax, and then dipped the whole thing in acid. The acid bites into the exposed metal, leaving behind delicate lines. This process is repeated as needed, with careful attention to the strength and duration of the acid bath, to create tonal variation. The plate is then inked and used to print multiple copies of the image onto paper. Look closely, and you can see how the etched lines create a network of light and shadow that defines Mary's face and drapery. The character of the etching lends itself to the soft and reverent depiction of the subject. This kind of printmaking allowed for the wide dissemination of images in a pre-photographic era. The labor is less about a single, unique artwork, but instead about the skilled creation of a matrix for mass production. So, next time you look at a print, consider the intricate dance between hand and machine, art and industry, that brought it into being.