View of Venice 1887

Mary Cassatt made this print, “View of Venice,” using etching and aquatint, processes that demand careful application and skilled labor. Aquatint gives the image its misty, atmospheric quality. Cassatt likely used acid to bite into the metal plate, creating tonal variations. The etched lines, seen most clearly in the rigging of the ships and architectural details, add definition. The whole process, from preparing the plate to pulling the final print, involves numerous stages of labor. What’s interesting here is that Cassatt, an American Impressionist, engaged deeply with printmaking, a medium often associated with reproducibility and accessibility, rather than unique artistic expression. By mastering these techniques, she blurred boundaries between the traditional hierarchy of fine arts and craft. The resulting image is not just a view of Venice, but a testament to the artist’s labor and the rich history of printmaking itself. Appreciating this work involves recognizing the skill and effort embedded in its very substance.