Gezicht op de kerk Santi Giovanni e Paolo te Venetië 1745 - 1775

This print, showing the church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo in Venice, was made by Jean-François Daumont sometime before 1775. It's an etching, which means the artist used a sharp needle to draw into a wax-covered metal plate. The plate was then bathed in acid, which bit into the exposed lines. Look closely, and you'll see how Daumont varied the density of his lines to create shadows and textures, and how he controlled the acid to create lines of varying depth. After the plate was inked and wiped, it was pressed onto paper, transferring the image. It was then hand-colored to enhance the scene. The etching process allowed for relatively quick and easy reproduction, enabling the circulation of views like this one. Prints like these catered to the growing demand for images of Venice, particularly from tourists. The finished artwork embodies a tension between the skilled labor required for its production and its status as a commodity for consumption. Appreciating these aspects allows us to see beyond the image itself, recognizing the socio-economic forces at play in its creation.