Reconciliation of Absalom and David (Réconciliation d'Absalom et de David)
1752
graphite
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1752
graphite
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This etching shows a dramatic scene from the Bible. David sits on a throne while his son Absalom kneels before him. The figures look stiff but the emotion still comes through. The artist scratched lines into a metal plate then rubbed ink over it. He wiped the ink off the surface so it only stayed in the scratches. Then he pressed paper onto the plate to transfer the image. This is a drypoint. Look up Saint-Aubin, Gabriel de to see more.
