The art of engraving owes its origin and success to its ability to duplicate images. The black gives body to the image, the white breath and vital vibration. Because it is on the matrix and not on the paper that the artist puts his creative stamp, which will be revealed in the finished print. The engraver, as opposed to the painter or sculptor, does not have constant control and a vision of his work, because he works in reverse order, at a close distance and in difficult and deceptive viewing conditions, proceeding amongst doubts and risks. A thorough technical experience, although subordinate to the creative act, is the basis for visualising the effect of each single phase in the preparation of the finished product.
Engraving is an art in itself and has the same expressive force as painting.
It is said to be original when creator and engraver are the same person. This is the only criterion that really matters and has always yielded works of art of remarkable strength. It has been largely employed through the centuries till now especially in the decoration of artistic works and in architecture applied to the most diverse materials , sometimes mixed with other techniques. Beside these general decorative uses, since the Renaissance engraving has acquired even more importance because it became the method for preparing the matrix for printing. European engraving from the fifteenth to the twentieth centuries.