Portret van Joseph Franz Moritz von Lacy 1770 - 1796

This portrait of Joseph Franz Moritz von Lacy was made by Johann Ernst Mansfeld using etching. The process begins with a metal plate, usually copper or zinc, covered with a waxy ground. The artist then scratches an image into the ground with a pointed tool, exposing the metal. The plate is then dipped in acid, which bites into the exposed lines, creating the design. The longer the plate is left in the acid, the deeper the lines become. This determines the darkness of the lines when printed. The plate is then inked, and the surface wiped clean, leaving ink only in the etched lines. Finally, the plate is pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The fine, precise lines of the etching lend themselves well to portraiture. But the labour-intensive process involved in the creation of an etching, is a mark of value and luxury afforded by a society of class division.