Kunstnere forsamlede om aftenen i Finchs kaffehus i München 1832 - 1901

This print by Adolph Kittendorff depicts artists gathered in Finch's coffee house in Munich, and was made using a method called mezzotint. Mezzotint is a painstaking process. The metal plate is first roughened evenly using a tool called a rocker. This creates a surface that, if printed at this stage, would be entirely black. The artist then works back into the surface using scrapers and burnishers to create lighter tones, carefully controlling the texture to produce an image. The deep blacks and subtle gradations of light and shadow in this print are characteristic of mezzotint, and contribute to the scene's intimate, candlelit atmosphere. The high level of skill and labor required for mezzotint speaks to a time when printmaking was highly valued. When we consider the materiality and production of this artwork, we recognize the important artistic labor involved. Appreciating the intersection of craft and fine art, the intensive work of mezzotint elevates our understanding and respect for this historical piece.