DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18732#0140
[ H5 ]
of mezzotinto.
Mezzo-tlnto is faid to have been firft invented by
prince Rupert, about the year 1649 ; who took the hint
from feeing a foldier file his rufty mufquet; and Mr.
Evelyn, in his Hiftory of Chalcography, gives us a head,
performed by that prince, in this way; but Mr. Le
Blond is faid to have introduced it into practice, with
the greateft fuccefs.
The prince laid his grounds on the plate with a chan-
nelled roller; but one Sherwin, about the fame time,
laid his grounds with a half-round file, which was preffed
down with a heavy piece of lead. Both thefe ground-
ing tools have been laid afide, for many years ; and a
hand-tool, called a cradle, refembling a fhoemaker's
cutting-board-knife, with a fine crenelling on the edge,
was introduced by one Edial, a fmith by trade, who
afterwards became a mezzo-tinto printer.
As it is much eafier to fcrape or burnifh away parts of
a dark ground correfponding with the outline of any de-
fign fKetched upon it, than to form (hades upon a light
ground, by an infinite number of hatches, ftrokes, and
points, which muft all terminate with exactnefs on the
outline, as well as differ in their force and manner, the
method of fcraping in mezzo-tinto ^ as it is called, confe-
quently, becomes much more eafy and expeditious, than
any other maimer of engraving. The inftruments
ufed in this kind of engraving are cradles, scrapers,
and burnishers. The fcrapers for delicate work are
much like a furgeon's lancet in fhape and finenefs, but
others are ftronger.
P 2 To
of mezzotinto.
Mezzo-tlnto is faid to have been firft invented by
prince Rupert, about the year 1649 ; who took the hint
from feeing a foldier file his rufty mufquet; and Mr.
Evelyn, in his Hiftory of Chalcography, gives us a head,
performed by that prince, in this way; but Mr. Le
Blond is faid to have introduced it into practice, with
the greateft fuccefs.
The prince laid his grounds on the plate with a chan-
nelled roller; but one Sherwin, about the fame time,
laid his grounds with a half-round file, which was preffed
down with a heavy piece of lead. Both thefe ground-
ing tools have been laid afide, for many years ; and a
hand-tool, called a cradle, refembling a fhoemaker's
cutting-board-knife, with a fine crenelling on the edge,
was introduced by one Edial, a fmith by trade, who
afterwards became a mezzo-tinto printer.
As it is much eafier to fcrape or burnifh away parts of
a dark ground correfponding with the outline of any de-
fign fKetched upon it, than to form (hades upon a light
ground, by an infinite number of hatches, ftrokes, and
points, which muft all terminate with exactnefs on the
outline, as well as differ in their force and manner, the
method of fcraping in mezzo-tinto ^ as it is called, confe-
quently, becomes much more eafy and expeditious, than
any other maimer of engraving. The inftruments
ufed in this kind of engraving are cradles, scrapers,
and burnishers. The fcrapers for delicate work are
much like a furgeon's lancet in fhape and finenefs, but
others are ftronger.
P 2 To