Can anyone shed light on how these type of classic effect in etching may have been achieved? The background elements appear to be very lightly etched, almost appears as having been painted. This is the work of classic 18th century French master – Jacques Callot.
Could it just have been done with a superfine needle and etched for a much shorter time?
I love the work of these classical master printmakers.
Length of time in the acid bath using stop out techniques. A good description of some of his technical expertise in the Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Callot
“Heft” is right.
It looks like there has been three bites of the plate; the longest being the dark foreground figure,
then the main scene with ruins and figures, the shortest time for the distant background elements.
Here is a clearer print by Callot, showing a similar three stage development of aerial space: