Maria Stuart Regina Scotiae 1720 - 1756

This print of Mary Queen of Scots was made by John Faber the Younger in the 18th century, using the technique of mezzotint. Mezzotint is all about tone. First, the metal plate is roughened to create a dense field of tiny dots that would print as solid black. The artist then burnishes or scrapes away some of these dots to create lighter areas. What you are seeing is a modulation from dark to light, all achieved mechanically. Faber’s skill comes through in the fineness of the gradations, which give a soft, almost velvety texture. Consider the labor involved. The all-over roughening was usually done by a specialist, and then Faber would have spent a considerable amount of time building up the image. By controlling the distribution of labor, Faber secured his place as the ‘artist.’ This division reflects early modern capitalism, where even in the art world, the hand of the master was what really mattered.