kopergravure

Kopergravure, in English copper engraving or copperplate intaglio, is a traditional printmaking technique in which an image is incised into a copper plate. The incised lines or areas are filled with ink and then transferred to paper under pressure, producing a print with recessed ink.

There are two main approaches: engraving, where a burin or graver physically cuts lines into the metal; and etching, where a ground is applied, the artist draws through the ground with a needle, and the plate is bitten by an acid bath to create lines. In practice, ink is worked into the incised lines and the surface is wiped clean before printing.

Materials include copper plates, etching ground (resin or wax), needles for drawing, engraving tools, acids such as ferric chloride or nitric acid, and printing equipment (brayer, press, damp paper). After printing, the plate may be cleaned and polished; multiple editions are produced by inking and wiping.

History: Copper engravings originated in Europe in the 15th century as a means of reproducing images; etching gained prominence in the 17th century. The technique was central to many Dutch, Flemish, and Italian printmakers, with artists such as Rembrandt using copper plates for both engraving and etched works.

Today kopergravure continues as a traditional method practiced by contemporary printmakers, often alongside other intaglio techniques; it is valued for line quality, tonal range, and the archival durability of copper plates.