Soldatenkamp c. 1733 - 1762

This print, Soldatenkamp, was made by Jean Moyreau using etching and engraving. The techniques are quite different: etching involves drawing with a needle into a waxy ground on a metal plate, which is then bathed in acid. Engraving, by contrast, requires pushing a tool called a burin directly into the metal. In this print, the crispness of the engraved lines is juxtaposed with the softer etched areas to create both detail and atmospheric depth. The image itself depicts a military encampment, a scene made possible by significant logistical support. Just consider the amount of labor needed to produce tents, uniforms, weapons, and transport, not to mention the challenge of feeding and paying the soldiers. All this underpinned the exercise of military power. By considering the graphic processes that went into the making of this image, and the social context of its subject, we can appreciate how much effort was required both to represent, and to realize, such a scene.