Engraving  

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:This article discusses the technique of engraving for printmaking, one of the earliest techniques in the [[mass culture|democratization]] of [[visual culture]]. :This article discusses the technique of engraving for printmaking, one of the earliest techniques in the [[mass culture|democratization]] of [[visual culture]].
 +'''Engraving''' is the practice of incising a design on to a hard, usually flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when [[silver]], [[gold]], [[steel]], or [[glass engraving|glass]] are engraved, or may provide an [[intaglio (printmaking)|intaglio]] printing plate, of [[copper]] or another metal, for printing images on paper as prints or illustrations; these images are also called '''engravings'''.
 +
 +Engraving was a historically important method of producing images on paper, both in artistic [[printmaking]], and also for commercial reproductions and illustrations for books and magazines. It has long been replaced by [[photography]] in its commercial applications and, partly because of the difficulty of learning the technique, is much less common in [[printmaking]], where it has been largely replaced by [[etching]] and other techniques.
 +
 +Traditional engraving, [[hand engraving|by burin]] or with the use of machines, continues to be practiced by [[goldsmith]]s, [[glass engraver]]s, [[Gunsmith#Gun_Engraver|gunsmith]]s and others, while modern industrial techniques such as [[photoengraving]] and [[laser engraving]] have many important applications. [[Engraved gem]]s were an important art in the ancient world, revived at the Renaissance, although the term traditionally covers [[relief]] as well as intaglio carvings, and is essentially a branch of sculpture rather than engraving, as drills were the usual tools.
 +==History==
In the European [[Middle Ages]] [[goldsmith]]s used engraving to decorate and inscribe metalwork. It is thought that they began to [[printmaking|print impressions]] of their designs to record them. From this grew the engraving of copper printing plates to produce artistic images on paper, known as [[old master print]]s in Germany in the 1430s. Italy soon followed. Many early engravers came from a goldsmithing background and the new technique largely replaced [[woodblock printing]]. The first and greatest period of the engraving was from about 1470 to 1530, with such masters as [[Martin Schongauer]] and [[Albrecht Dürer]]. In the European [[Middle Ages]] [[goldsmith]]s used engraving to decorate and inscribe metalwork. It is thought that they began to [[printmaking|print impressions]] of their designs to record them. From this grew the engraving of copper printing plates to produce artistic images on paper, known as [[old master print]]s in Germany in the 1430s. Italy soon followed. Many early engravers came from a goldsmithing background and the new technique largely replaced [[woodblock printing]]. The first and greatest period of the engraving was from about 1470 to 1530, with such masters as [[Martin Schongauer]] and [[Albrecht Dürer]].

Revision as of 11:16, 25 October 2009

Le Ministère de la Marine (1865-1866) is a print by French etcher Charles Méryon depicting the marine ministry "attacked" by a charging flock of fantastic creatures.
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Le Ministère de la Marine (1865-1866) is a print by French etcher Charles Méryon depicting the marine ministry "attacked" by a charging flock of fantastic creatures.
"The Flayed Angel", anatomical drawing (1746) from "Myologie Complette En Couleur Et Grandeur Naturelle," by Jacques Fabian Gautier d'Agoty
Enlarge
"The Flayed Angel", anatomical drawing (1746) from "Myologie Complette En Couleur Et Grandeur Naturelle," by Jacques Fabian Gautier d'Agoty

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This article discusses the technique of engraving for printmaking, one of the earliest techniques in the democratization of visual culture.

Engraving is the practice of incising a design on to a hard, usually flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or glass are engraved, or may provide an intaglio printing plate, of copper or another metal, for printing images on paper as prints or illustrations; these images are also called engravings.

Engraving was a historically important method of producing images on paper, both in artistic printmaking, and also for commercial reproductions and illustrations for books and magazines. It has long been replaced by photography in its commercial applications and, partly because of the difficulty of learning the technique, is much less common in printmaking, where it has been largely replaced by etching and other techniques.

Traditional engraving, by burin or with the use of machines, continues to be practiced by goldsmiths, glass engravers, gunsmiths and others, while modern industrial techniques such as photoengraving and laser engraving have many important applications. Engraved gems were an important art in the ancient world, revived at the Renaissance, although the term traditionally covers relief as well as intaglio carvings, and is essentially a branch of sculpture rather than engraving, as drills were the usual tools.

History

In the European Middle Ages goldsmiths used engraving to decorate and inscribe metalwork. It is thought that they began to print impressions of their designs to record them. From this grew the engraving of copper printing plates to produce artistic images on paper, known as old master prints in Germany in the 1430s. Italy soon followed. Many early engravers came from a goldsmithing background and the new technique largely replaced woodblock printing. The first and greatest period of the engraving was from about 1470 to 1530, with such masters as Martin Schongauer and Albrecht Dürer.

Thereafter engraving tended to lose ground to etching, which was a much easier technique for the artist to learn. But many prints combined the two techniques - although Rembrandt's prints are generally all called etchings for convenience, many of them have some burin or drypoint work, and some have nothing else. By the nineteenth century, most engraving was for commercial illustration.

Before the advent of photography, engraving was used to reproduce other forms of art, for example paintings. Engravings continued to be common in newspapers and many books into the early 20th century, as they were long cheaper to use in printing than photographic images. Engraving has also always been used as a method of original artistic expression.

Traditionally, engravers created darker areas by making an area of many very thin parallel lines (called hatching). When two sets of parallel line hatchings intersected each other for higher density, the resultant pattern was known as crosshatching. Claude Mellan is well-known for his technique of using parallel lines of varying thickness. One notable example is his Sudarium of Saint Veronica (1649), an engraving of the face of Jesus from a single spiralling line that starts at the tip Jesus's nose.

Noted engravers

Prints (see also List of Printmakers):

Of gems:

Of guns:

Of coins:

Of postage stamps:


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