Twee brief-lezende figuren bij kaarslicht 1844

Charles Jacque made this print, “Two Figures Reading a Letter by Candlelight,” using etching. Etching is an intaglio printmaking technique that uses acid to cut into a metal plate, usually copper or zinc. The plate is covered with a waxy, acid-resistant ground. The artist then scratches an image into the ground with a pointed tool, exposing the metal. The plate is then immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed metal, creating lines. The remaining ground is removed, and the plate is inked, then wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Finally, paper is pressed against the plate, transferring the ink to create the print. What I like about this is how the line work creates such subtle gradations of light. In a sense, the etching medium becomes one with the implied subject: it's all about dark and light. This work reminds us that all artworks are material things, produced through labor. That fact is easy to forget, but if we bring it to mind, we appreciate the image all the more.