Orphan 1874 - 1884

James Tissot created this print, "Orphan," using etching, a process that bridges artistry and industrial technique. Etching involves coating a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance. The artist then scratches through this coating with a needle, exposing the metal. When the plate is submerged in acid, lines are bitten into the metal where it’s exposed. Ink is then applied to these etched lines, the surface wiped clean, and the image transferred to paper under great pressure. The result here is a delicate, almost ephemeral image of a mother and child. Yet, consider the labor involved. The careful preparation of the plate, the controlled corrosion by acid, the skilled inking and printing—all speak to the industrialized world's capacity to reproduce images, and also to the way that a work of art can be made through a division of labor. So, next time you look at a print, remember that it's not just an image, but a record of a complex, collaborative process.