Wirtshausszene mit betrunkenem Mann 

Johann Georg Trautmann created this etching, Wirtshausszene mit betrunkenem Mann, using a metal plate, likely copper, and acid. The controlled corrosion of the metal, bitten away by the acid, allowed Trautmann to create these fine, delicate lines. The process of etching is labor intensive. It’s easy to overlook the work involved. First, the plate must be prepared with a waxy ground. The artist then scratches through this ground with a needle, exposing the metal. The plate is then immersed in acid, which etches the exposed lines. The longer the plate sits in the acid, the deeper and darker the lines will be. This print is especially interesting, as it allows many impressions to be made. The artist is no longer dependent on a wealthy patron; the market determines the work's circulation. Trautmann makes visible a scene of working-class revelry, but in a way that could be collected and enjoyed by a middle-class audience.