The Voyage to Paris 1798

Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki made this etching, called The Voyage to Paris. Etching is a printmaking technique, one of the oldest and most adaptable of graphic art processes. Using this method, lines are incised into a metal plate with acid. The plate is covered with a waxy layer, and then the artist scratches away the wax to expose the metal, before bathing it in acid. The longer the plate is exposed to the acid, the deeper the lines will be, and the darker they will appear when printed. The image shows a woman packing for a trip, watched by two other figures. The scene is domestic and rendered in intimate detail. The fine lines of the etching allow for a great deal of detail, capturing the textures of clothing, the grain of the wood, and the fall of light. Chodowiecki expertly employs these subtle variations, creating a captivating and highly reproducible image. The print medium allowed his work to circulate widely, a distinctly modern phenomenon, breaking down traditional boundaries between fine art and craft.