In modern times—about 1785—a revolution took place in wood engraving, when Bewick began to engrave on a piece of wood cut endwise, and with a graver instead of a knife. Bewick chose some very hard wood, usually box. This manner has been continued to this day; and sometimes to distinguish the old art from the new, as the one is so different from the other, the former is called a woodcut and the latter wood-engraving.
Next as to etchings. To produce an etching a copper plate is covered with wax, then with an etching-needle the design is drawn through the wax to the copper. Acid is then applied, which, of course, only eats out the copper where the design has been etched.
Now as to copper-plate line engravings. The engraver first traces on the plate the outline of his design, and then with the triangular-pointed graver he furrows out the lines, inclining his graver deeper or shallower according as he wishes to produce varying effects. Copper-plate engraving has been practised ever since early in the fifteenth century. About 1820 engraving on steel came into vogue. More impressions can be taken from a steel than from a copper plate; but steel is more difficult to engrave upon. By a new process, however, a copper plate can now be strengthened with a steel film.
Mezzotint engraving is an art by itself, and of great interest to English readers, because of the many charming mezzotint engravings after England’s great portrait-painter, Sir Joshua Reynolds; and also by reason of Prince Rupert, the brave cavalier’s, close connection with the art. He has often been said to have invented mezzotint; but the first credit for this is now given to another gallant soldier, Ludwig von Siegen, who engraved a plate in 1642, and kept his discovery a profound secret until, in 1654, he found himself in Brussels with Prince Rupert. The two kindred spirits meeting, the secret was soon unfolded. Rupert became as eager in another field as if he were leading a cavalry charge, and in four years’ time appeared his splendid mezzotint engraving, The Executioner of John the Baptist. As the object of this book is not to give a serious treatise on elaborate methods of engraving, it will best express mezzotint to state that it is in general terms produced by the opposite process from a line engraving, A very smooth copper-plate surface is, as it were, engraved all over. Then the design is wrought on this by a scraping process.
A kind of stipple or dotted engraving was known early in the sixteenth century; but what is really famous as stipple and dotted engraving, only came into vogue in the eighteenth century. The copper plate was first covered with wax, and a dotted outline of the subject pricked through the wax with an etching-needle. Then the shadows were filled in, and finally acid used, as with an etching, Francesco Bartolozzi’s is probably the name best known in this connection, though in masterly ability, William Ryland, who was hanged for forgery, far surpassed him.
In aquatint engraving, the plate to be engraved is covered with a solution made of resin and spirits of wine; this process produces a surface more or less open to the action of acids when applied. In the hands of a skilful manipulator, a fine engraving results from this “more or less” condition.
Here, in beginning to record the succeeding styles of ex libris, let us refer to the varieties which have prevailed at different times amongst Deutschland bookplates. In the first place careful note must be made regarding six coloured drawings of the fourteenth century which Herr Warnecke includes as bookplates, in his splendid work—Die Deutschen Bücherzeichen. Now if once it be admitted that something inscribed in a book as in fact a necessary integral part of that book, is a bookplate, then it becomes impracticable to draw a distinguishing line.
Next, if like the old preachers, we divided the description into three headings, firstly, secondly, and thirdly, we should on this subject record: firstly, German ex libris are armorial; secondly, they are armorial; thirdly, they are armorial. Especially in the earlier plates, the crest is always in its proper place over a helmet, and the helmet over the shield of arms. It would be well if with just an artistic frame to enclose the whole the bookplate stopped there; but alas, there is only too often besides a multitude of fantastic accessories, which give a confusing instead of a pleasing impression. Coming down towards the seventeenth century, you are sometimes favoured (?) with a fantastic maze of the quarterings and emblems of the owner’s relatives to the fortieth generation.
Predominant in the seventeenth century is what is known as the Baroque style, with designs of endless curves and contortions, drawn in a very heavy manner.
Some of the plates which are most pleasing, are those where the arms are surrounded by light wreaths of leaves and flowers.