Le Repos 

Karl Bodmer's "Le Repos" is a monochrome print made using a process called etching. Here, the artist would have covered a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, then drawn an image into the wax with a pointed needle. The plate was then submerged in acid, which bit into the metal wherever the wax had been removed. The resulting lines hold ink, which is transferred to paper under great pressure. Notice how the fine web of these lines defines the textures of fur, grass, and foliage, building up atmosphere as well as form. Etching was a relatively inexpensive way of producing multiple images, making it ideal for commercial purposes. Consider the amount of labor involved: from the mining of the metal to the work of the printer, this image is the product of a complex system of production. Looking closely at the materials and processes of production gives us insight into not only the artist's technique, but also the broader social context in which this artwork was made. It challenges us to look beyond traditional aesthetic categories.