Mary Holding the Child in Her Arms and Joseph with the Basket, plate ten from The Flight into Egypt 1753

This print was made by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo, around the late 18th century, using etching, a printmaking technique. The image is made through an elaborate, multistep process. First, Tiepolo would have covered a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant ground. He then drew into this ground with a stylus, exposing the metal beneath. The plate was then immersed in acid, which bit into the exposed lines. This process creates a network of tiny grooves, which hold ink when the plate is printed. It’s a fascinating, indirect way of working, and lends itself to a distinctive graphic style. Note the incredible fineness of the lines, closely packed together to create areas of tone. Consider also the implications of this reproductive medium. The print is inherently democratic. It takes a skilled artisan to make it, but once the plate is ready, many impressions can be pulled, disseminating the image widely. That’s a very different proposition than a unique painting, available only to a wealthy patron. It’s a process that brings art into dialogue with wider social forces.