1 6 PROCKEDIXGS OV THE 



Alluding to the methods of produciiifj; by printers' ink repre- 

 sentations of phmts in general, the speaker grouped the main 

 methods into llu-ec: (1 ) u here the design was in rtdief, and received 

 the ink, which by |>ressure was transferred to paper, as in wood- 

 engraving; {'J) when; the design was cut or l)itten into a plate of 

 metal, as copper-plate engraving, etching, mezzotint, etc. ; (3) where 

 the design did not differ much in level from the stone on which it 

 was drawn, but de[)ended upon the antagonism of grease and 

 water, the stone receiving either and then refusing to receive the 

 other. Exam|)les were then shown of early herbals with artless 

 colouring, most of tliem apparently due to the work of private 

 possessors, but with later years, as in a copy of Fuchs's ' Stirpium 

 instoria,' 1542, printed at Easel, the character of the work 

 pointed to a trained colourist, such as Plantin of Antwerp 

 employed at a later period. 



During the prevalence of woodcuts in the early years of 

 printing, copper-plate engraving began to make its way, and was 

 employed in providing outlines for hand-colouring until the last 

 century, when it was ousted by lithography. The method of 

 printing from engraved plates was briefly described, and the 

 application of mezzotint restricted to leaves and stems was 

 pointed out, also ]{edoute's method of semi-stip])le for coloured 

 prints, each colour beirig separately applied to the plate and 

 cleaned off, before finally heating the plate and pulling the print. 

 A simpler method was also shown, wliere an ordinary engraving 

 was printed in green ink, and otlu;r colours, as red or yellow, 

 applied m water-colour. 



After ex[)laiuing how artistic use of pigments varied, and 

 always must v:iry from theoretic statements as to prinnuy 

 colours, clu'omo-lithography was touched upon, and its greater 

 permanence (if lasting colours are employed) to hand-coloured 

 plates, some showing deterioration in less than a century, which 

 was startling. 



Next the three-colour ])rocess was touched upon, and the pre- 

 paration of three (or four) half-tone blocks to print its own colour 

 to be combined by the eye into a couijilete colour scheme. The 

 weakness of the process lay in this, that it almost demanded a 

 paper coated with baryta or china-clay, which could not be 

 guaranteed as permanent : in addition was the temptation to use 

 inks made from aniline dyes, which were fugitive. 



Mr. EiXDOX asked if colour printing from wood blocks had been 

 employed; the answer was the display of a Japanese catalogue of 

 Tris Ka'mpferi in which that method was emplo3'ed. 



Mr. L. J. Skdgwick inquired whether the three-coloured prints 

 in Britton and liose's "Cacteje" were produced by the "wavy 

 line" process. The lecturer thought that the special effect was 

 due to the use of miller's silk as a screen. 



