VIII

Engraving (burin)

Goya used engraved lines (also called burin) to embellish the smoke from the exploding firecrackers in Banderillas de fuego (Banderillas with firecrackers) (See figs. 13 and 17). The lines are created with a burin, a tool made from a triangular shaped length of metal (such as steel) with one end mounted in a wooden handle while the cutting end is angled and lozenge shaped. (See fig. 15). The tool is pushed away from the body, dislodging little ribbons of copper from the surface of the plate in the process. (See fig. 16).

Fig. 15: Left to right; four engraving tools with timber handles, two drypoint tools and an etching needle.

Abraham BOSSE<br/>
<em>Treatise on the ways of engraving on copper...</em> 1701; 1645 {first published} <!-- (page) --><br />
<em>(Traité des manieres de graver en taille-douce...)</em><br />
illustrated book: letterpress text and etched illustrations<br />
<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
Purchased, 1962<br />
1048-5<br />

<!--23379--> — Fig. 16: Abraham BOSSE, Treatise on the ways of engraving on copper, (1701; 1645 first published), showing how to use the engraving tools to dislodge little ribbons of copper.

The tool creates a ‘v’ shaped gouge in the copper and to finish a line it is angled towards the surface to exit the copper. This action and the shape of the tool produces a tapered end at the termination point of each line and these can be used to distinguish engraved from etched lines.

Francisco GOYA, <em>Banderillas de fuego, (Banderillas with firecrackers)</em> 1815; published 1816, plate 31 from <em>La Tauromaquia (The art of bullfighting)</em> series. Photomicrograph detail of engraved lines used to denote the smoke from the firecrackers.<br/> — Fig. 17: Francisco GOYA, Banderillas de fuego, (Banderillas with firecrackers), 1815; published 1816, plate 31 from La Tauromaquia (The art of bullfighting) series. Photomicrograph detail of engraved lines used to denote the smoke from the firecrackers.