The Evening Star, second plate 1879

Henri Fantin-Latour made this print, The Evening Star, using etching. This intaglio process involves coating a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance called a ground. The artist then scratches an image into the ground, exposing the metal. The plate is then submerged in acid, which bites into the exposed lines, creating grooves. Fantin-Latour would have then removed the ground, inked the plate, and used a press to transfer the image onto paper. The characteristically velvety blacks and fine lines seen here are a direct result of this demanding, multi-stage process. It is an indirect technique – each mark carefully considered, and reliant on both skill and chemistry. In its own way, etching served a similar purpose to photography at the time. Like that new technology, it allowed for the relatively quick and inexpensive production of images, widening access to art. This print allowed more people to engage with Fantin-Latour’s vision, democratizing art consumption in its own way.