_Faces, Eyes, Stippling, Hair, Drapery, Limbs, Scenery, &c._
Rule IV. relates to the Vignettes, to notice whether they appear to come
up to the usual standard of perfection in the following points: the faces,
eyes, stippling, hair, drapery, limbs, scenery, landscapes, water and
agricultural scenes, &c. This work is always done by hand, both in the
genuine and counterfeit; but in the genuine it is done by _first-class
artists_; men who are at the head of their profession, and who can always
get such a complete remuneration for their labor that there cannot
possibly be any temptation for them to counterfeit. It is only second,
third, fourth, and sometimes _hundredth_-rate artists that
counterfeit:--runaway apprentices and cast-off journeymen, and possibly
amateurs. The points to observe are first, the human face, stippling, and
the eyes. This is the most difficult of any part of the Vignette to
execute well, and fails in counterfeits, more than any other part of the
4th Rule. In the genuine, the eyes have a perfectly natural expression,
while in counterfeits they are, generally, merely two clumsy dots. The
_stippling_ is the beautiful artistic arrangement of the fine dots which
produce the shading--the smooth, even, soft _rounding_ of the features,
the cheeks, nose, lips, chin, and limbs; this fails _invariably_ in
counterfeits--the features, and generally the limbs also, appearing
_flat_, scratchy, inexpressive, and inanimate. The human hair in the
genuine will look soft, silky, and natural; displaying a _lustre_ in
portions where the light appears to strike it. In counterfeits the hair
generally appears _stiff_, coarse, _wiry_, lifeless, and unnatural. The
drapery in the genuine beautifully represents the folds and texture of
different kinds of cloth; sometimes the dark, heavy and glossy appearance
of broadcloth is produced; sometimes the light, flowing appearance of silk
or muslin--the folds always look easy and _flowing_--no stiffness. In
counterfeits the drapery generally appears scratchy and _stiff_, sometimes
having the _solid_ appearance of cast iron, and sometimes like coarse
wire-cloth, inexplicably twisted up in a snarl in trying to imitate the
easy and natural folds of the genuine. The limbs, hands, or feet are
always well done in the genuine, but generally fail in counterfeits. It is
a very difficult matter to execute well, and it requires a first-rate
artist to produce an elegant-shaped hand or foot and in an easy position.
To engrave human figures correctly it is first necessary for the artist to
acquire a _thorough_ knowledge of Anatomy. Smoke in the genuine is always
well done--generally in fine curved lines, and sometimes in straight
parallels, fading off gradually at the edges. In counterfeits the smoke
gradually appears coarse and _scratchy_. Also notice whether the
“perspective” is managed rightly: the lights and shades, and the forms of
animals, horses, cows, &c. &c. whether truthfully portrayed. Vignettes are
transferred to the plates from _double_ transferred cylinder dies.
“Chambers’s Information for the People” says:--
“Engraving, in all its various branches, is a species of labor which
probably requires greater remuneration than any other department of
art--for not only must there be a great degree of patience and
perseverance beyond what is required in most other employments, especially
in undertaking the engraving of a genuine bank-note plate, which must be
perfect in all its parts, showing the lights and shades true to life--one
part corresponding with another as though nature herself had formed the
impression. Such of course is the intention of the artist, who must be a
finished workman before he can receive employment in this capacity; the
perfection of the execution being of course the only great difficulty to
overcome. This will be seen from the fact that in all cases from ten to
fifteen artists are employed upon one bank note plate, and as this
employment necessarily calls into its service the very best talent that
can be secured, it follows as a matter of fact that we are perfectly safe
in looking to the perfection of a note for the genuineness of the bill.
Each artist has a separate part to execute; and as the whole plate is made
of different parts, called “dies” or “cuts,” it is therefore evident that
no band of counterfeiters can accomplish their designs--it being
impossible.”
[See the Vignette marked “4” in the steel plate; also the portrait of
Washington.]