April, from "Album of Rustic Subjects" 1859

This print, April, from "Album of Rustic Subjects", was made by Charles Jacque, using etching, a printmaking technique with a long and storied past. Etching involves biting into a metal plate with acid to create an image. The artist covers a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, then scratches the design into this coating, exposing the metal underneath. When the plate is dipped in acid, the exposed lines are eaten away, creating grooves. Ink is then applied to these grooves, and the plate is pressed onto paper, transferring the image. Looking closely, you can see how the etched lines define the forms and textures, from the rough bark of the trees to the soft wool of the sheep. The print captures the everyday labor of rural life. Consider the amount of work involved in each stage of production, from the farmer tending his land to the artisan producing paper. In Jacque's image, we can see how this labor is transformed into a commodity, circulated and consumed as art.