The Iron Forge between Dolgelli and Barmouth in Merioneth Shire

Paul Sandby

1776 · Etching and aquatint printed in brown ink; second state of two (?) · Drawings and Prints

Sandby was already an experienced watercolorist and etcher when he began tinkering with Jean-Baptiste Le Prince's recipe for applying tonal areas to etchings with resin powder. But, instead of distributing the powder dry, he dissolved it in "rectified spirits of wine" so that it could be brushed on an etching plate like an ink wash, a process for which he coined the term aquatint. This image image of an active iron forge belongs to a set of Welsh views, and the artist represents his subject raked by low sunlight, to cast the entrance wall facing us in deep shadow.

Artist

Paul Sandby

Date

1776

Medium

Etching and aquatint printed in brown ink; second state of two (?)

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1936