Which tool is primarily used to hold and carve into surfaces for intaglio printing?

The tool primarily used to hold and carve into surfaces for intaglio printing is the burin. A burin is a special engraving tool that has a sharp point and a triangular cross-section, which allows artists to make precise incisions into a metal plate or other surfaces.

In intaglio printing, the artist incises the design into the surface, and the ink is held in these incised lines, allowing for detailed and fine lines in the printed image. The burin's design makes it ideal for creating varying line thicknesses and intricate details, distinguishing it as the most effective tool for this process.

Other tools listed, such as a burnisher and brayer, serve different purposes in printmaking. A burnisher is generally used for smoothing or polishing the surface of a print or to rub the surface of a plate, while a brayer is used to apply ink evenly over a surface prior to printing. A gouge, on the other hand, is typically used in relief printing to remove material from a surface but is not suited for the fine incisions required in intaglio.