Seated woman holding a tablet and compass (allegory of learning), a winged putto at right 1595 - 1645

Guido Reni created this print, “Seated woman holding a tablet and compass,” sometime before his death in 1642. He probably used etching, a printmaking process that relies on the corrosive power of acid. A metal plate, likely copper, is coated with a waxy, acid-resistant material called a ground. The artist then draws through the ground with a needle, exposing the metal. When the plate is immersed in acid, the exposed lines are eaten away, creating grooves. These grooves hold ink, which is then transferred to paper under pressure. This image looks like it was made using a few different applications of acid, to give it that range of dark and light tones. But it wasn't just the chemistry that gave the print its character. It was also the skill of the artist in controlling the etching process. Reni's virtuosity reminds us that even in a seemingly reproducible medium like printmaking, the hand of the artist remains crucial. This piece encourages us to think about the labor involved in its production.