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 CHAPTER IX

STIPPLE ENGRAVING

Its technique—The practice of stipple in early days—An adjunct to line engraving—The great eighteenth-century masters of stipple engraving—Its introduction into England by Ryland—Bartolozzi and his school—William Blake—Qualities of stipple—Its neglect by collectors.

In stipple engraving a copper plate is covered with a series of dots arranged in an elaborate manner to convey the subject to be engraved. Under a magnifying glass stipple work exhibits rows of dots so skilfully dug into the copper that they convey the truthful lineaments of a portrait, the soft flesh of a figure subject, or the character and texture of a costume. It is not employed for landscape. These dots are usually marked with an etching needle through a ground, and bitten with acid, as is explained in the chapter on etching. They are afterwards strengthened and deepened with the use of a graver. This tool has its point bent downwards for pecking into the metal; the graver used for line engraving has its point curved upwards.