Le Nouvéliste 1770 - 1814

Jean François Janinet produced "Le Nouvelliste" using etching, a printmaking technique that democratized image production. Acid bites into the metal plate, creating grooves that hold ink; this is then transferred to paper under high pressure. The image itself depicts a domestic scene, likely from the artist's time, showing the consumption of news as a social activity. One man reads aloud, while others listen. Note the texture of the print, and the ways in which the etched lines and added color define form and shadow. Consider the labor involved, not only in the depicted scene, but in the many steps required to create the print itself, including the crafting of the paper and the printing press. The print is an artifact of its own moment, as it's a form of mass media representing mass media. Thinking about this work, therefore, encourages us to reflect on the technologies that shape our habits and ideas.