Lear Casting out his Daughter Cordelia
1792
Medium
Etched-stipple proof on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Plate: 50.1 × 63.4 cm (19 3/4 × 25 in.); Sheet: 55.6 × 75.3 cm (21 15/16 × 29 11/16 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
122066
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This print illustrates the steps that went into producing large reproductive engravings. This etched proof was printed after the engraver laid out the composition using stipple marks. By etching these preliminary marks with acid rather than engraving them, Earlom saved time and created an image pale enough to be changed.
About the Artist
Richard Earlom · 1728–1794
Richard Earlom (1743–1822) stands as one of the supreme masters of mezzotint engraving in British art history, whose technical virtuosity and dedication to reproductive printmaking brought the works of Old Masters to unprecedented audiences. Born in London on May 14, 1743, Earlom spent his entire career transforming paintings and drawings into prints of extraordinary quality, elevating reproductiv...