Head of a Woman, from Livre de Têtes Gravées d'apres F. Boucher et Autres (Book of Heads Engraved after F. Boucher and Others) 1740 - 1780

This is an engraving, Head of a Woman, made by an anonymous artist, one of a series of heads after the French painter François Boucher. The technique of engraving involves using a tool called a burin to carve lines directly into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed, leaving raised lines on the paper. The engraver's skill is evident in the delicate rendering of the woman's features, and the subtle gradations of tone achieved through varying the thickness and density of the lines. Consider the sheer labor involved in executing this level of detail. Engravings like this were often produced in multiples, making art more accessible to a wider audience. The economics are very interesting. The publisher would pay an engraver for their labour. Many artists could benefit from this type of production - one produced a painting and another reproduced it. This raises important questions about authorship, skill, and the democratization of art in the age of mechanical reproduction.