Bathing Women, third large plate 1896

Henri Fantin-Latour created this etching of "Bathing Women" using metal plates and acid, a process that has been around for centuries. The magic of etching lies in its ability to capture fine details and tonal variations. The artist would have painstakingly covered a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground, then scratched away lines to expose the metal beneath. Immersing the plate in acid would bite into these lines, creating grooves that hold ink. The final print is made by pressing paper onto the inked plate, transferring the image. The physical labor involved in creating an etching like this is considerable. Fantin-Latour's mastery of the etching process has imbued the artwork with a sense of depth and atmosphere. It invites us to appreciate the labor, skill, and technical expertise required to create such a delicate and evocative image. The finished print, a multiple, makes the image accessible to a wider audience, connecting to the rise of an art market, and a bourgeois audience for art.