A Polander standing with his stick: profile to the right 1807

Ignace-Joseph de Claussin created this small etching, A Polander standing with his stick: profile to the right, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. Etching is an intaglio printmaking method, meaning that the image is incised into a metal plate, usually copper or zinc, and then filled with ink to be transferred to paper. The etcher covers a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground. Then, using a needle, the artist scratches an image into the ground, exposing the metal. The plate is then immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed lines, creating the image. Claussin's image is characterized by the use of fine lines to describe form and texture. The hatching and cross-hatching give a sense of volume to the figure's clothing and hat. As with any printmaking technique, the production process allows for the creation of multiple impressions, making images more accessible and affordable to a wider audience. This speaks to the democratization of art during the 19th century, as printmaking allowed for the wider dissemination of images and ideas.