The Shower n.d.

Henri Boutet made this drypoint titled "The Shower" sometime between 1871 and 1919. Drypoint is an intaglio printmaking technique, meaning the image is incised into a plate, and then the ink is held in those indentations. Here, the lines are quite soft, due to the nature of the process. As the artist draws into the plate, it creates a burr along the edges of the lines, holding extra ink, and creating a velvety texture when printed. In drypoint, the plate wears down quickly with each impression, meaning the first few prints are the clearest. Boutet’s image evokes the fleeting experience of a rain shower in an urban environment. The figures, rendered with delicate lines, appear to be caught in a moment of hurried transit. Consider the labor involved, the artist carefully etching the image, wiping the plate, and pulling each print. Through the lens of craft, we can begin to understand the immense amount of work involved in the production process.