Portret van Johann Christoph Dommerich 1739 - 1791

This is a portrait of Johann Christoph Dommerich, made by Johanna Dorothea Sysang in 1758. The technique used here is etching, a printmaking process that relies on acid to cut lines into a metal plate. Think about that for a moment – the artist isn’t directly drawing the image, but rather facilitating a chemical reaction. This indirectness is characteristic of printmaking in general. The image is built up through labor-intensive work, but the results can be multiplied. Prints like this one were critical for circulating images and ideas in the 18th century. Look closely, and you can see the marks made by the etching needle. Notice, too, the areas of tone, created through careful manipulation of the acid bath. It’s a world away from painting or sculpture, but a powerful medium in its own right, and one which allowed artists to reach a wide audience. It also allowed women like Sysang to have a career as an artist in the 1700s. Printmaking was a very valuable asset for women artists.