What Is An Etching?

Etching is an intaglio printmaking process in which an artist draws into a wax-coated metal plate using a needle or other tool. The exposed metal is then submerged in acid, which bites into the surface of the plate to create recessed lines that hold ink. After the ground is removed, ink is worked into the etched lines and the plate is printed under pressure on dampened paper.

Etching became one of the most important printmaking techniques in Europe beginning in the sixteenth century and remains widely used by contemporary artists today. The process allows for expressive line work ranging from delicate and precise to highly spontaneous and gestural. Artists often combine etching with other intaglio techniques such as aquatint, drypoint, or engraving to expand tonal and textural possibilities.

Collectors are often drawn to etchings for their rich surface quality and direct relationship to drawing. The plate mark impressed into the paper and the subtle variation between impressions are distinctive characteristics of original etchings. Many important artists, from Rembrandt and Goya to contemporary printmakers, have worked extensively in the medium.