Mezzotint Scraper
1860s-c.1940 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
To create a mezzotint, the engraver rocks the toothed tool backwards and forwards across the plate repeatedly in different directions to bring up metal burr over the entire surface of the plate. The artist then uses a scraper to polish the burr away to create the middle-tones of the image. The more polished the surface the lighter the image. Polishing right down to the flat surface of the metal produced highlights since no ink would be held in these bare areas of the plate. The resultant image has a luxuriant tonal range graduating from deep velvety blacks through to white.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | One of 22 tools, mostly made of metal |
| Brief description | Mezzotint scraper used by Sir Frank Short (1851-1945). |
| Physical description | Mezzotint scraper with twine covered handle. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Credit line | Given by Dorothea Short, daughter of the artist |
| Object history | Owned and used by Sir Frank Short (1851-1945). Given by the artist's daughter. |
| Association | |
| Summary | To create a mezzotint, the engraver rocks the toothed tool backwards and forwards across the plate repeatedly in different directions to bring up metal burr over the entire surface of the plate. The artist then uses a scraper to polish the burr away to create the middle-tones of the image. The more polished the surface the lighter the image. Polishing right down to the flat surface of the metal produced highlights since no ink would be held in these bare areas of the plate. The resultant image has a luxuriant tonal range graduating from deep velvety blacks through to white. |
| Associated objects | |
| Bibliographic reference | Victoria and Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1951 London: HMSO, 1962. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.740-1951 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSON
