Kvinde fra Asti (Piemontoise d'Asti) 1760s

This print, Kvinde fra Asti, was made by Pierre Etienne Moitte sometime in the 18th century, using etching and engraving. These printmaking methods were crucial for disseminating images widely during this period. Notice how the network of fine lines creates a full tonal range, from bright highlights to deep shadows. This was achieved by drawing into a waxy ground on a metal plate, and then bathing it in acid. The incised lines then hold ink, which is transferred to paper in a printing press. The image shows a woman in an interior, looking out onto a verdant landscape, with a framed portrait and hat on the wall, and a violin in the foreground. The composition draws us in with the promise of beauty and leisure, but the reality for most women in 18th century Europe was defined by hard labor. Though Moitte depicts the trappings of domesticity and cultural refinement, the print itself speaks to the labor involved in its production, and the power of images to circulate ideas about class and gender. This is not just a pretty picture; it's a product of its time, reflecting the complex relationship between art, labor, and society.