Azië 1697 - 1739

This print, "Azië," was made by Louis Desplaces in the early 18th century, using etching and engraving. The image is based on a marble sculpture in the Gardens of Versailles, but the print has its own story to tell. Consider the labor involved in its production. Each line was carefully incised into a metal plate. The artist would have had to master techniques of hatching and cross-hatching to build up tone and volume. This was painstaking, skilled work. The printmaking process also allowed for reproduction on a scale that sculpture never could. This speaks to emerging systems of artistic production and consumption. A print like this could circulate widely, bringing images of elite culture to a much broader audience. So while the subject is a marble statue, evoking the power and wealth of the French court, the print itself hints at a more democratic future for art. It's a reminder that even seemingly straightforward images carry complex histories within their making.