Phrenology Course, 2nd plate (Le cours de phrenologie) 1906

This is an etching by Alphonse Legros, and as you can see, the lines are the thing. The etcher carefully coats a metal plate with a waxy ground, and then scratches an image into it with a sharp needle. When the plate is immersed in acid, the exposed metal is eaten away, leaving behind a network of tiny, ink-filled channels. In this case, the acid has bitten deeply, creating rich blacks and a textured surface. The scene depicts a lecture on phrenology – a now-discredited science that sought to link skull shapes to personality traits. Legros has used the etching process to full effect here, creating a dark and claustrophobic atmosphere. The cross-hatching is particularly effective, building up shadows and conveying the weight of the skulls on the table. It’s a reminder that even the most seemingly objective of scientific pursuits can be shaped by the materials and methods used to investigate them.