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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

S Maria Magdalena

Maker(s)

Publisher: Smith, John
Painter: Reni, Guido (After)

Mars and Venus

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Smith, John
Publisher: Smith, John
Painter: Caraglio, Jacopo (After)
Painter: Perino del Vaga (Pietro Buonaccorsi) (After)
Painter: Vecellio, Tiziano (Formerly after)

An image of Print

Anne Spencer, later Countess of Sunderland, with her sister Henrietta Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough

Maker(s)

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

An image of Print

John Smith

Maker(s)

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

An image of Print

A Lady at Confession

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Smith, John
Publisher: Cooper, Edward
Painter: Laroon, Marcellus I (After)

An image of Print

George, Prince of Denmark

Maker(s)

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

An image of Print

A young artist at work

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Vaillant, Wallerant
Painter: Vaillant, Wallerant (After)

An image of Print

Anne Gerard (née Mason), Countess of Macclesfield when Viscountess Brandon

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Smith, John
Publisher: Cooper, Edward
Painter: Wissing, Willem (After)

An image of Print

Ingham Forster

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Smith, John Raphael
Painter: Morland, Henry Robert (After)

An image of Print

Eleanor [Nell] Gwyn with her two sons, Charles, Earl of Burford, and James Beauclerk

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Unknown
Publisher: Tompson, Richard (publisher)
Painter: Lely, Peter (After)

An image of Print

Helmeted Soldier

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Thomas, Jan

Portrait of two young men ['Lord John and Lord Bernard Stuart']

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Unknown
Publisher: Tompson, Richard (publisher)
Painter: Dyck, Anthony van (After)

An image of Print

Sarah Pridden (Sally Salisbury)

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Smith, John
Painter: Kneller, Godfrey, baronet (Possibly after)

An image of Print

Sancta Maria Magdalena

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Smith, John
Publisher: Smith, John
Painter: Smits, Casparus (After)

An image of Print

Mary II, Queen of England

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Valck, Gerard
Publisher: Valck, Gerard
Painter: Lely, Peter (After)

An image of Print

Mary II, Queen of England

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Gole, Jacob (Attributed)
Publisher: Visscher, Claes Claesz II

An image of Print

Mary II, Queen of England, when Princess of Orange

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Unknown
Publisher: Tompson, Richard (publisher)
Painter: Lely, Peter (After)

An image of Print

Mr Sansom

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Smith, John
Painter: Closterman, John (After)

An image of Print

Boy seated in a studio

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Vaillant, Wallerant
Publisher: Vaillant, Wallerant
Painter: Vaillant, Wallerant (After)

An image of Print

Lady Mary Douglas

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Smith, John
Painter: Unknown (After)

An image of Print

Signiora Maria Giovanna Felice

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Smith, John Raphael
Publisher: Darling, William
Painter: Forbes, Anne (After)

An image of Print

Mary Gwyn

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Young, John
Publisher: Young, John
Painter: Hoppner, John (After)

An image of Print

Count Ivan Grigoryevich Chernyshyov (or Tchernyshov)

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Watson, James
Painter: Tocqué, Louis (After)

An image of Print

The Queen Dowager

Maker(s)

Printmaker: Unknown
Publisher: Smith, John
Painter: Huysmans, Jacob (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 07:47:40

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 07:47:40|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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