Rinaldo abandoning Armida 1720 - 1762

François Joullain made "Rinaldo abandoning Armida" using engraving, a printmaking process that demands meticulous labor. The artist would have used a tool called a burin to carve lines directly into a metal plate, a process requiring great skill and control. The resulting web of fine lines creates areas of light and shadow, giving the scene its dramatic intensity. Look closely, and you can see how the density and direction of these lines define the figures' forms and the surrounding landscape. The finished print is a direct record of the artist's hand and the time invested in the process. Engraving was central to the circulation of images in the 18th century, making art accessible to a wider audience. This print, dedicated to an important aristocrat, also shows how art supported social and political hierarchies of the period. This reveals how traditional ideas of fine art and craft are bound up with labor, commerce, and class.