Banks of the Yanne (Les bords de la Yanne) 

Alphonse Legros made this drypoint etching of the Banks of the Yanne. The drypoint technique is all about directness, and it shows here. The artist used a sharp needle to scratch directly into the copper plate; the furrows create a burr, a rough edge that holds ink, giving a velvety line when printed. Legros did not use acid to etch the plate, as printmakers usually do. Instead, he relied on the strength of his hand and the precision of his eye. The landscape shimmers with this intimate touch. You can almost feel the drag of the needle across the metal, the pressure required to create these lines. There's a raw, handmade quality to drypoint that sets it apart from other printmaking methods. In its emphasis on line and tonal contrast, the print testifies to the labor and skill involved in its production. The marks are a record of his physical interaction with the material; they stand as evidence of the hand’s enduring capacity to transform copper into art. This reminds us of the value of craft in fine art.