Illustration to Samuel Richardson's Clarissa 1796

This is an illustration to Samuel Richardson's Clarissa, made by Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki, who was a master of the etching technique. The appeal of an etching lies in its fineness of line. To make one, you have to prepare a metal plate, usually copper or zinc, with a coating of wax. Then, you draw into that coating with a sharp needle, exposing the metal beneath. The whole plate is then immersed in acid, which bites into the exposed lines. After the plate is cleaned and inked, it can be printed onto paper. The image shows two scenes separated side by side, with intricate interior settings, architectural details, and costumed figures. Notice how this illustrative approach lends itself well to mass production. Etchings like these were very popular as illustrations in books, journals, and as individual prints, making art accessible to a wider audience. They democratized art, moving it away from unique paintings towards serial reproducibility.