It is not to be forgotten that the dry-point (q.v.) process affords a perfectly ready means of reinforcing the etching without the use of acid. The bur, which is thought to make the special charm of dry point, is not essential, because it can be scraped away with a so that the lines cut or deepened by the dry point may pro duce an effeet exactly similar to the etched line, and a plate may have been worked all over with the dry point while yet the impressions taken from it do not betray the fact, Mien plates are to be finished entirely with etching, or with etching mid dry point together, the attention of the artist will be strongly fixed upon the neeessity of deepening and strengthening certain parts of his composition. It is for this purpose that stopping out rehiting and dry point work are used. When, however, the line engraver uses etching merely as a first prepa•a t ion for his work, as to lay in the main masses and lending lines of the composition, this etch. ing is usually slight and thin, nail as the lines are not intended to show in any published prints, but only in proofs taken for the engraver's use. they may be all of uniform and very slight depth and breadth. The use of etching as a part only of the complete design, the rest being done by the burin, leads to the singularly puzzling style of art which is best seen in the famous plates of Charles Meryon (died 18681—plates which are usually classed as etchings, but where there are strong evidences of burin work. The recent en gravings of the Chaleographie du Louvre, repro ducing important modern paintings, and such celebrated and admired work as that of Ferdinand Gaillard (died 1887), are instances of work in which the tolerably well-practieed collector can hardly say how much burin work appears.
The chief of etchers, so ranked by almost uni versal admission of those modern artists who have given attention to the matter, is Rembrandt (q.v.). This position he gains not only by su perior skill in the technicalities of the art, but even more by the greatness of his design—a de sign which is, nevertheless, adapted to the medium employed. His works remain the most perfect example of all that the eteher's art can attain. In modern times, James McNeil Whistler (q.v.) approaches very nearly to Rembrandt's greatness on at least one side—as an artist in line he is said by excellent judges to be even the equal of Rembrandt. Of the older men, Vandyek (q.v.)
is a great etcher of portrait heads. Wenceslas Hollar (q.v.) is one of the greatest masters ;a etching of the simplest form, with lines of nearly uniform thickness and laid in the simplest man ner, and with printing done without the least at tempt at adding to the effect of the etched plate. (See PRINT.) There are a few admirable etchings by Claude Lorraine. A few of the art ists of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries used etching as an independent art ; but during the eighteenth century and the early part of the nineteenth it was neglected as an artistic proc ess. and was used mainly for such slight and simply conceived compositions as those of the English humorists, George Cruikshank, John Leech, Richard Doyle. and H. K. Browne, and others like then). In this way, at least, the art was kept in hand: and when .1. M. W. Turner (died I851) began the publication of his famous Liber Studiorum (q.v.) he resorted to etching for the primary laying in of his plates as a mat ter of course. A decided revival of the art began about 1800, Hamerton's books being at ()nee an expression of this movement and an assistance to it. Modern artists in this line are, in England, Whistler, above named, and Francis Seymour linden, devoting himself almost exclusively to landscape: in France, a much larger number, such ans Maxine Lalanne, Jules .lacquemart (died 1880), Adolphe Appian, Charles Francois Dan higny (died 1878), Paul Rajon. Rflix Braeque mond, and Martial (Adolphe-Martial Pot(cmont). Of other moderns, two Dutchmen, ifongkind and Charles Storm Can 'sGravesande, devoting them selves to both landscape and figures, are worthy to rank with any but the very greatest of modern artists.
Btfumnanenv. lIamert on. Etching and Etch ers (London, IRAS), a costly work illustrated with etchings; republished with photogravure illustrations of great merit (London. 1880), and in a cheaper edition ( London, 1875). Consult also: Lalanne. de In gravure a l'rau forte ( Paris. 18551 : Eteher's (London- 1 SS ) About Etching (id.. 1 SS ) Koehler, Etching: in Outline of Its l'roc esscs and History (New York, 1886) ; Ilerkomer, Etching and Mezzotint Engraving (ib., 1892) : Wedmore, Etching in Englund (ib., 1895) ; Singer and Strang, Etching, II:allowing, and Other Ileth, ods of Printing Pictures (ib., 1897) ; also the authorities referred to under EN GRAVING.