The dramatic mountainous setting provides Klinger with an opportunity to show off his mastery of aquatint, a method he often used in conjunction with etching for creating tonal effects. Klinger produced several shades of gray in the background of this image by selectively dusting his copperplate with grains of resin of varying textures. When heated, these tiny grains fused to the surface and resisted the action of the etching acid, creating fine patterns that translated into passages of tone when the plate was inked.