George III bekijkt zijn troepen bij Blackheath 1787

Robert Pollard made this print, George III Reviewing his Troops at Blackheath, using etching and aquatint. These processes involve covering a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground and then scratching an image into it. The plate is then submerged in acid, which bites into the exposed metal, creating recessed lines. This is intaglio printmaking, the opposite of relief printing such as woodcut. Aquatint allowed Pollard to add areas of tone, by selectively exposing the plate to acid through a porous resin. The result is a delicate tonal range, mirroring the pomp and circumstance of the British military. Prints like this were part of a booming industry in the late 18th century, circulating images widely and contributing to the formation of public opinion and national identity. Each print involved considerable skilled labor, not only by Pollard but also by the printers who would have made many impressions from the plate, inking it and running it through a press. Paying attention to these processes allows us to see beyond the image itself and understand the social and economic context in which it was made and circulated.