Graphic works
Unique pieces
The origin of etching dates back to the Middle Ages, a period when nitric acid was used to engrave friezes and decorations on weapons and armor. Later, both the name and the technique were adopted by printmaking artists, a transition that occurred between the late 15th and early 16th centuries.
The process is carried out in the following sequence: the surface of the plate, after being polished and degreased, is covered with a thin and even layer of etching wax (varnish), then blackened with lampblack to make the wax more resistant to the action of the acids and to make the marks more visible.
With a steel point, slightly rounded, the artist applies enough pressure to expose the metal, tracing the lines that will form the image of the artwork. After protecting the edges and the back with a varnish, the waxed plate is immersed in a basin containing diluted acid, which bites into the metal where the drawing has scratched the wax, exposing the metal underneath. Different lines and effects are achieved by varying the biting times and the acid concentration.
It took 4 months of hard work to create these 5 plates.
