Portrait of J. L. Ernest Meissonier 1884

This is Charles Courtry's portrait of J. L. Ernest Meissonier, made with etching and drypoint on paper. Look closely, and you’ll see the remarkable detail achieved through these printmaking methods. The image is built up through countless tiny lines, each one carefully incised into a metal plate. Etching uses acid to bite these lines, while drypoint creates a softer, more velvety effect with a needle. The quality of the line speaks to the immense labor and skill involved. Courtry would have spent hours, perhaps days, meticulously working the plate. In a way, printmaking democratizes art. It allows for the production of multiple originals, making images more accessible than unique paintings or sculptures. Yet, the craft involved reminds us of the skilled labor that underpins all artistic creation, even in supposedly "high art" forms like portraiture. It's a beautiful reminder that art is always the product of careful making.