Head of a Girl Leaning on Her Hand 1895 - 1900

Theodore Roussel created this etching, "Head of a Girl Leaning on Her Hand", using a copper plate. The image is achieved through a labor-intensive, indirect process. The artist would have painstakingly drawn into a prepared ground on the plate with a fine needle, exposing the metal. It would then be submerged in acid, which bites into the lines, allowing them to hold ink. The qualities of the line in this print - its delicacy and precision - are entirely contingent on this process. Roussel had to master the specific properties of the copper, the mordant, the pressure of the printing press. The result is an image of great subtlety and nuance, and a rich, velvety surface. It’s important to remember that while we consider this work to be "fine art," the skills needed to produce it derive from a much wider world of craft and industry. Understanding this history is essential to appreciating the full depth and complexity of Roussel's achievement.