Engravers and Etchers Six Lectures Delivered on the Scammon Foundation at the Art Institute of Chicago, March 1916

A seasoned curator walks listeners through the evolution of printmaking, beginning with the humble origins of German engraving and its rise to the brilliance of Martin Schongauer and Albrecht Dürer. The first two lectures map the flourishing of Florentine workshops, revealing how the Italian masters translated Renaissance ideals onto copper plates. As the series progresses, the speaker unpacks the distinctive styles of portraiture and the daring expansion of landscape etching, all the while weaving anecdotes about the artists’ lives and the cultural currents that shaped their work.

Interlaced with more than a hundred vivid illustrations, these talks bring the textures of woodcuts, the gleam of silver points, and the subtle gradations of ink to life for the ear. Listeners gain a clear sense of how technical choices—line, cross‑hatching, and tonal shading—became expressive tools that defined an era. The result is an accessible, richly detailed tour of engraving and etching that feels both scholarly and warmly conversational, perfect for anyone curious about the visual stories behind some of art’s most enduring images.