Along the Thames (Sur la Tamise) 

Alphonse Legros etched this scene along the Thames in delicate lines using metal and acid. The etching process begins with a metal plate, coated in a waxy, acid-resistant ground. Legros would have drawn this composition into that ground, exposing the metal underneath. Then, by bathing the plate in acid, he created recessed lines. This is skilled work. The quality of the line depends greatly on the control of the acid biting into the metal. To create the print, ink is applied to the plate and then wiped off the surface, remaining only in the etched lines. Finally, the plate is pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The result is a textured surface, where the ink sits slightly above the paper, a reminder of the labor and artistry involved in its creation. This was a technique perfectly suited to the industrial age, allowing for the mass production of images, and a wider distribution of art. Legros turned a commercial process into an expressive artistic medium, bridging the gap between craft and fine art.