Despair 1830 - 1858

Zéphirin Belliard created this print, called "Despair," sometime in the first half of the 19th century, using a technique called etching. Here, the physical process informs our understanding of the image. Etching involves coating a metal plate with a waxy substance, scratching an image into it, and then bathing the plate in acid. The acid bites into the exposed metal, creating lines that will hold ink. The plate is then printed onto paper. Look closely, and you can see the subtle gradations of tone, achieved by varying the density and depth of the etched lines. This was painstaking work, requiring great skill and patience. There's a direct relationship between the labor of the artist and the emotional weight of the image. The figure’s slumped posture and averted gaze speaks to the human condition, but so too does the meticulous craft of etching, a process of considered mark-making. By appreciating the labor-intensive processes involved, we can move beyond traditional art-historical concerns and recognize the profound connection between material, making, and meaning.