Compositie met zes hoofden van mannen en een hondenkop 1795

Jean Jacques de Boissieu created this print, Compositie met zes hoofden van mannen en een hondenkop, using etching, sometime between the late 1700s and early 1800s. Etching 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 beneath. When the plate is immersed in acid, the exposed lines are eaten away, creating grooves. Ink is then applied to the plate, filling these grooves, and the surface is wiped clean. Finally, the plate is pressed onto paper, transferring the ink and creating a print. In this image, the etched lines define the character of the faces, with some of them engaged in the labor of playing a musical instrument. Boissieu demonstrates the skilled control that printmakers brought to the medium, creating images that could be reproduced and disseminated widely. This connects the artwork to broader social issues of labor, and highlights the distinction between the artist's skilled work and the reproductive nature of printmaking. By focusing on the material and the making process, we can appreciate the social and cultural significance of this artwork.