The Metamorphosis of Actaeon 1535 - 1555

Jean Mignon made this print, The Metamorphosis of Actaeon, sometime in the mid-16th century. It is made of ink on paper using the etching process, where a metal plate is covered in a waxy ground, an image is scratched into the ground, and then acid is applied to bite into the exposed metal, creating lines that hold ink. Look closely, and you can see how the fineness of the etched line allows for incredible detail. Mignon clearly had great skill in manipulating the etching needle and controlling the acid bath. The evenness and precision speak to the artist's mastery of the tools. But perhaps even more interesting is how the *idea* of metamorphosis is reflected in the printmaking process itself. Just as Actaeon is transformed into a stag, the artist transforms base materials – metal, acid, ink – into an image, a story, a work of art. This alchemy, this capacity to bring something new into the world, is perhaps the most powerful magic of all. It certainly elevates printmaking from a mere reproductive technique to a truly creative act.