There is no question that the rapid rise in production of prints in the 18th century increased interest in gardens and that owners saw this expanding medium as a means of publicising their properties, and that they and their designers used it as an opportunity to spread taste and fashion. What follows in this chapter is a consideration of aspects of printmaking and what kind of prints appeared in the early days.

Techniques

Prints in general fall under several different heads, but as far as topographical and garden prints are concerned, there are four principal processes that one is likely to encounter in the 18th century.

Copper engraving

Basically, lines are scored on a copper plate using a burin or graver. The drawing to be copied is laid out below a diagonal mirror so that the engraver sees a reverse image of it. It is this reverse picture that has to be incised, since the process of reproduction will turn it back to the original form. A drawing is made on the plate and the burin is guided along the lines. Depths of surface and different textures could be achieved by a skilful engraver. A copper plate might yield up to a thousand or more copies, but it would become worn and would sometimes need to be reworked. If alterations were needed, they would be freshly engraved on an existing plate. The harder-wearing steel was introduced in 1821 and largely superseded copper.

Etching

As with engraving, a copper plate is employed. It is covered with wax and the image is drawn in it with an etching needle. The plate is placed in an acid bath, which leaves the wax unaffected while the acid bites into the scored lines, and according to the length of time for which the plate is exposed, the lines will appear lighter or deeper. The process is known as ‘biting’ or ‘biting in’. To ensure variations in the depth of lines, a number of immersions might be required, with varnish protecting lines already satisfactorily formed. It was a much less physically taxing process than engraving.