Shrimps! 1782

"Shrimps!" was made by Francesco Bartolozzi, using a printmaking technique called stipple engraving. This process involves creating an image through thousands of tiny dots, carefully etched into a copper plate. In "Shrimps!", the density and depth of these marks bring the image to life, conveying light and texture. Bartolozzi would have used specialized tools to create the stippled effect, meticulously building up the image. His technical virtuosity allowed for soft tonal gradations, mimicking the appearance of a chalk or crayon drawing. While printmaking was becoming increasingly industrialized during Bartolozzi’s time, requiring more division of labor, he maintained a strong connection to the hand-craftsmanship of the image. This speaks to a moment in the history of art where the handmade and the mechanically produced were not yet fully separated. Considering the materials, making, and context in which an artwork like this was created allows us to challenge traditional distinctions between fine art and craft, recognizing the labor and skill involved in printmaking.