When Was Intaglio Printing Invented?

Intaglio engraving, as a method of making prints, was invented in Germany by the 1430s. Engraving had been used by goldsmiths to decorate metalwork since ancient times. It has been suggested that goldsmiths began to print impressions of their work to record the design.

What is the oldest form of intaglio printmaking?

First developed during the Middle Ages, engraving is the oldest and most common of the intaglio techniques. The meticulous process involves cutting a design into a copper plate using a tool called a burin.

Is intaglio printing the oldest method?

Intaglio by Engraving

Engraving is the oldest method and it uses a burin with sharp V-shaped cutting section, which is pressed gradually down onto the surface of a copper plate and then driven more or less deeply through the metal.