sketches

Day two hundred and ninety-one: This afternoon I looked at the Rembrandt print from which I made yesterday’s sketch under a microscope. With the help of a few terrific paper conservators, we confirmed what I suspected: the print shows the effects of drypoint burr. Drypoint uses a sharp point to scratch the lines directly into the copper plate, and little shavings of copper remain along the edges of the line. During the printing of early impressions, this burr causes a rich, velvety diffusion of ink, which I have attempted to imitate here using a watercolor brush. However, the pressure of the press quickly wears away the burr, and later impressions lack the quality. Throughout history, others have tried to doctor up later impressions by imitating burr with a brush, but under a microscope true drypoint burr is distinguished by a very tiny white line at the center. One area that showed this most distinctly during our study was around the little dog at the feet of the man in a brim hat. Although there was no burr in the pasture beyond, I also enjoyed imitating Rembrant’s simple yet effective means of drawing cattle and a cowherd. Do you see them?