Contes et nouvelles en vers: A Femme avare galant Escroc, from "Les Contes de la Fontaine" 1795

This etching by Jacques Aliamet, made sometime in the 18th century, presents a scene of attempted seduction. Notice how Aliamet used a metal plate to create the image. He would have coated the plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance called a ground, then scratched away lines to expose the metal. The plate was then immersed in acid, which bit into the exposed lines, creating grooves. Ink was applied to the plate, filling the grooves, and the surface wiped clean. Finally, the plate was pressed onto paper, transferring the ink and creating the print. This process allowed for the production of multiple impressions, making art more accessible to a wider audience. The etching medium itself is interesting. It is neither high art nor everyday production, but something in between. This in-betweenness is exactly the point; the print straddles the line between unique art object and mass produced commodity, reflecting the changing landscape of art and consumption in the 18th century.