Copper - copper engraving

A reddish-brown metallic element that is a malleable and effective conductor of heat and electricity, it is used in the manufacturing of brass and bronze alloys. When exposed to or combined with oxygen, copper takes on a greenish color called patina. Copper is used in sculpture and etching. Among sculptors using copper are Carl Bertoia, Carl Andre, Claire Falkenstein, Robert Graham, Robert Smithson and Donald Judd, and copper engravers or etchers, those who incise lines on copperplate, include Gene Kloss, Gabor Peterdi, Adalbert Volck, James Akin, John Held, Sr., and Stephen Scott Young. One of the earliest copper engravings was a pre-Revolutionary War scene of the Boston Massacre by Paul Revere. It appeared in "Royal American Magazine" in 1774 and 1775. Sources: Ralph Mayer, "A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques"; Anne Gilbert, "American Illustrator Art"; Kimberley Reynolds and Richard Seddon, "Illustrated Dictionary of Art Terms"; AskART database