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Mezzotint

Scope note

Intaglio process in which the surface of the plate is methodically roughened with a rocker to produce a dark background; areas may then be lightened using various scrapers. Produces a printed image having a continuous tonal range. PRTT

This term has 4,658 records attributed within our system.

Term type

AAT
Technique
Material

Getty AAT term number

300053233

Broader Terms used

<engraving (printmaking process)>

Term used for

black manner
engraving, mezzotint
manière anglaise
manière noire
manner, black
mezzotint engraving

Created

14yrs ago

Connected records

An image of Print

Nicholas Haddock

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Faber, John II
Painter: Gibson, Thomas (After)
Publisher: Faber, John II

An image of Print

Johan van den Honert

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Unknown

An image of Print

John Wyck

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Faber, John II
Painter: Kneller, Godfrey, baronet (After)

John Wilkes

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Unknown
Publisher: Darly, Matthew
Painter: Pine, Robert Edge (After)

An image of Print

Sir Samuel Garth

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Simon, John
Painter: Kneller, Godfrey, baronet (After)

An image of Print

The Lady Essex Finch

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Unknown
Painter: Lely, Peter (After)
Publisher: Browne, Alexander

An image of Print

Nicolas Fabri de Peiresc

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Bechet (Attributed)
Painter: Dyck, Anthony van (After)

An image of Print

Head of a black man

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Vaillant, Wallerant

Elizabeth Hartley

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Marchi, Giuseppe Filippo Liberati
Publisher: Marchi, Giuseppe Filippo Liberati
Painter: Reynolds, Joshua (After)

An image of Print

Cadwallader, 9th Baron of Blayney

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Unknown

An image of Print

St Charles Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Thomas, Jan
Painter: Figino, Ambrogio Giovanni (After)

Barbara Palmer (née Villiers), Duchess of Cleveland

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Unknown
Publisher: Allard, Carel
Painter: Lely, Peter (After)

An image of Print

Jacob van Schuppen

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Bruggen, Jan van der

An image of Print

Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Smith, John
Painter: Kneller, Godfrey, baronet (After)

An image of Print

Erasmus

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Blooteling, Abraham
Painter: Holbein, Hans, the elder (After)

An image of Print

Thomas Hamilton, 6th Earl of Haddington ('Simon the Dutch Skipper')

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Smith, John
Publisher: Smith, John
Painter: Aikman, John (After)

An image of Print

Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Smith, John
Publisher: Smith, John
Painter: Kneller, Godfrey, baronet (After)

Jane Myddleton

Maker(s)

Printmaker: McArdell, James
Publisher: Fisher, Edward
Painter: Lely, Peter (After)

An image of Print

James II, King of England

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Smith, John
Publisher: Browne, Alexander
Painter: Largillière, Nicolas de (After)

An image of Print

Unknown man three-quarter length directed to right, looking towards the viewer, right hand on his hip, left elbow resting on his cloak; behind to the left a statie or carved panel; to the right a landscape

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Unknown
Painter: Unknown (After)

An image of Print

James Stuart, the Old Pretender

Maker(s)

Printmaker: White, George
Painter: Belle, Alexis-Simon (After)

An image of Print

Elizabeth de Clare ["Countess of Ulster"]

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Faber, John I
Publisher: Bakewell, Thomas

An image of Print

Rembrandt's Father

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Greenwood, John
Publisher: Boydell, John

An image of Print

Oliver Cromwell

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Faber, John II
Painter: Lely, Peter (After)

Citation for print

This page can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2026) "Terminology definition for: mezzotint" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/terminology/term-29420 Accessed: 2026-07-07 16:19:12

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/terminology/term-29420|title=Terminology definition for: mezzotint|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2026-07-07 16:19:12|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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