Copper Engraving is an intaglio printmaking technique in which an image is carefully incised into a polished copper plate using a burin. Ink is forced into the engraved lines before the plate is pressed onto damp paper under considerable pressure, producing highly detailed prints with exceptional clarity. Popular from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century, copper engraving was widely used for illustrations, portraits, architectural studies, maps and book plates, and remains admired for its precision and craftsmanship.