Printmaking: Etching AVA 151-01

Sandy Wimer – Spring 2020

These are examples of the drypoint technique, both from the Union College Permanent Collection, and from Senior Lecturer Wimer’s teaching collection.

Master of the Housebook, Two Peasants Fighting, 1475-1480, drypoint

Drypoint Technique

In the second half of the fifteenth century, the technique of drypoint emerged. Lines were scratched into the plate directly with a sharp needle, thus creating a burr on both sides of the line. The first artist using this technique was known as the “Master of the Housebook,” who was working in Germany between 1465 and 1500. The one challenge in drypoint was the emerging burr because it was compressed again after some printings and only a few copies could be pulled without changing the plate’s image. Therefore, in the beginning, drypoint was often practiced by artists for reworking already cut or etched plates.  Or, if they used drypoint technique, they would add it at the end, just before editioning so the burr would be fresh. To the left is an example of one of the earliest drypoint etchings, entitled Two Peasants Fighting and was created in approximately 1475-1480 by the Master of the Housebook.

 

UCPC Examples

Student Examples