Gezicht op het Hof van de Fontein en de tuinen van kasteel Fontainebleau 1631 - 1691

This print, "View of the Fountain Court and Gardens of the Château de Fontainebleau," was made by Israel Silvestre, sometime in the 17th century. The technique used was etching. A metal plate would have been coated with wax, through which the image was then scratched. This exposed metal would then be eaten away by acid, leaving an impression that could be inked and printed. The character of the print is very much determined by this process, and it is quite a process! Unlike engraving, where the image is directly incised into the metal, etching allows for a more fluid, spontaneous line. Look closely and you can see how Silvestre has used this to his advantage, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere with a myriad of tiny strokes. Etching was a relatively new technique at this time, and it allowed artists to create prints that were more like drawings. It was a process perfectly suited to capturing the grandeur of Fontainebleau, and the royal ambitions that it embodied. By considering the making, we can see the connection between technique, aesthetics, and social context.