WHAT IS A MEZZOTINT PRINT?

© CAROL WAX, 2018

Mezzotint is a tonal form of engraving that was invented in 1642 by Ludwig von Siegen, a German soldier on leave in Amsterdam. The medium's ability to render subtle tonal gradations and replicate brushstrokes made it ideally suited for translating paintings, particularly portraits, into prints. Once introduced into England by Prince Rupert of the Rhine, mezzotint quickly developed into a vital industry for creating and disseminating reproductive prints.