Barbizon: Foret de Fontainbleau 

Maurice Jacque made this etching, entitled 'Barbizon: Foret de Fontainbleau'. The printmaking process is fascinating here. Jacque would have painstakingly drawn an image into a metal plate with a sharp needle, and then the plate would have been submerged in acid, which bites into the exposed lines, creating grooves. These grooves hold ink, which is then transferred to paper under great pressure. Notice how the density of lines creates a play of light and shadow, evoking the forest's atmosphere. The quality of the etched line gives it a unique character, different from a drawing or painting. Consider the labor involved in such a work. Unlike painting, printmaking allows for the production of multiple images. This hints at the changing status of art in the industrial era, as unique handmade objects give way to reproducible images, available to a wider public. It bridges the gap between individual craftsmanship and the emerging world of mass production.