ENGRAVING IN AQUA TINTA. 441 



first. It is a species of engraving simple and ex- 

 peditious, if every tiling goes on well ; but it is 

 very precarious, and the errors which are made are 

 rectified with great difficulty. 



It seems to be adapted chiefly for imitation of 

 sketches, washed drawings, and slight subjects j 

 but does not appear to be at all calculated to pro- 

 duce prints from finished pictures, as it is not sus- 

 ceptible of that accuracy in the balance of tints 

 necessary for this purpose. Nor does it appear to 

 be very suitable for book-plates, as it does not print a 

 sufficient number of impressions. It is, therefore, 

 not to be put in competition with other modes 

 of engraving. If confined to those subjects for 

 which it is calculated, it must be allowed to be 

 extremely useful, as it is expeditious, and may be 

 attained with much less trouble than any other 

 mode of engraving. But even this circumstance 

 is a source of mischiefj as it occasions the produc- 

 tion of a multitude of prints that have no other 

 effect than that of vitiating the public taste. 



Engraving in aqua tint was invented by Le 

 Prince, a French artist, who kept his process a 

 long time secret, and it is said he sold his prints at 

 first as drawings J but he appears to have been 

 acquainted only with the powder-grain and the 

 common method of stopping-out. The prints 

 which he produced are still some of the finest 

 specimens of tlie art. Mr. Paul Sandby was the 

 first who practised it in this country, and it was 

 by him communicated to Mr. Jukes. It is now 

 practised very generally all over Europe j but no 

 where mor^ successfully than in this kingdom. 



