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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

Lady with a fan

Maker(s)

Printmaker: McArdell, James
Painter: Gravelot, Hubert François Bourguignon (After)

An image of Print

Samuel Greatheed

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Houston, Richard
Publisher: Downs, G.
Painter: Hoare, William (After)

An image of Print

Henry Grattan

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Hodges, Charles Howard
Painter: Stuart, Gilbert (After)

Anne Williams Hope (née Goddard)

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Hodges, Charles Howard
Painter: Reynolds, Joshua (After)

An image of Print

Prince Edward [Frederick Augustus, Duke of York and Albany]

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Miller, Andrew
Painter: Wilson, Richard (After)

An image of Print

Catherine, Countess of Egmont with her eldest son, Charles George Perceval

Maker(s)

Printmaker: McArdell, James
Painter: Hudson, Thomas (After)

An image of Print

Catherine Clarke (when Miss Hunter)

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Green, Valentine
Publisher: Boydell, John
Painter: Cunningham, Edward Francis (Francesco Calza or Calze) (After)

An image of Print

Portrait of Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford

Maker(s)

Printmaker: McArdell, James
Painter: Reynolds, Joshua (After)

An image of Print

Nelly and Jenny Bennet

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Marchi, Giuseppe Filippo Liberati
Publisher: Bowles, John
Painter: Nixon, John (After)

Jane Elizabeth Scott, Countess of Oxford

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Reynolds, Samuel William I
Publisher: Reynolds, Samuel William I
Painter: Hoppner, John (After)

Charles II, King of England

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Sherwin, William

An image of Print

The Effigies of the Eight Worthy Aldermen of the City of London, who upon all Occasions have strenuously Exerted Themselves in Defence of the Ancient Rights and Priviledges of their Fellow Citizens.

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Simon, John
Publisher: Overton, Phillip

An image of Print

Gerrit Dou

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Schouman, Aert
Painter: Dou, Gerrit (After)

An image of Print

Mary of Modena, Queen of James II

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Schenck, Pieter

An image of Print

Richard Cumberland

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Smith, John
Publisher: Smith, John
Painter: Murray, Thomas (After)

An image of Print

Charles XII, King of Sweden

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Smith, John
Publisher: Smith, John
Painter: Krafft, David von (After)

An image of Print

Mary II, Queen of England

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Schenck, Pieter

An image of Print

Friedrich II, Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Simon, John
Painter: Rusca or Ruschi, Cavaliere Carlo Francesco (After)

An image of Print

Adrian Beverland

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Sherwin, William
Painter: Muyckens, Jan Barentsz. (Possibly after)
Painter: Paling, Isaack (Possibly after)

An image of Print

Mr Garrick as Steward of the Stratford Jubilee September 1769

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Saunders, Joseph I
Publisher: Saunders, Joseph I
Painter: Gucht, Benjamin van der (After)

An image of Print

Mary II, Queen of England

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Schenck, Pieter

An image of Print

Mrs Abingdon

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Simon, John
Printmaker: Brookshaw, Richard
Publisher: Marshall, Richard

Queen Anne when Princess of Denmark

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Smith, John
Publisher: Cooper, Edward
Painter: Vaart, Jan van der (After)
Painter: Wissing, Willem (After)

An image of Print

George II, King of England

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Smith, John
Publisher: Smith, John
Painter: Kneller, Godfrey, baronet (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: 2026-07-06 07:47:30

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this page on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/terminology/term-29420|title=Terminology definition for: mezzotint|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2026-07-06 07:47:30|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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