Iphigenia 1872

Karl August Kräutle made this print, "Iphigenia," using a technique called line engraving. This is an intaglio process, where the image is incised into a metal plate, ink is applied, and then the surface is wiped clean, leaving ink only in the engraved lines. The plate is then pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The crisp, precise lines of this engraving give it a distinctive appearance. Look closely, and you’ll see the incredible amount of work involved. Each line had to be carefully cut by hand into the metal, demanding extraordinary skill and patience. This craft-based method stands in contrast to the later rise of industrial printing techniques. In its own time, the print would have been valued as a reproduction of a painting, or perhaps as an artwork in its own right. Either way, it reflects a culture of labor, where meticulous handwork was still highly prized, even as new technologies were beginning to transform the world of art and design. It reminds us that images, like all objects, have a history embedded in their making.