Le Bois de Rochecardon

Etching allows for great freedom in the artist’s ability to draw lines, whether short or long, thin or thick. In this lush landscape etching, Grobon highlights the contrast between the individually drawn leaves and the longer sweeping contours necessary for large trees and branches. Copperplate intaglio allows him to fill the shaded areas of the forest with ink in order to create a dark, shadowy atmosphere, while still leaving blank white spaces where the forest is lit by the sun. Grobon exploits many of the advantages of etching: namely, the ability to depict precise and tiny details—even in the most distant background leaves—as well as the freedom allowed in shading.