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Aquatint: a painterly intaglio technique

While printmakers have always wanted to present some shading or grayscale in their work, until the discovery of aquatint in the 17th century, doing so was technically very challenging.  And with a few notable exceptions, such as in the etchings of Francisco Goya, aquatint, this most painterly of intaglio techniques, remained unpracticed by most printmakers.  Aquatint started to gain popularity in the latter part of the 19th century, likely as etching was being rediscovered by Impressionists.  These artists were often eager to replicate in their prints the atmospheric qualities found in their paintings.  Aquatint, with its granular texture, lends itself to effects that offer an endless range of shading, both in black and white and in color.  Because it was practiced so masterfully by artists of the Modern Era, we here at Armstrong Fine Art are true “suckers” for a finely crafted aquatint.  Here are a few we have, or have had in the past.

Charles JACQUE - L'Equipage - detail
$315

L'Equipage

JACQUE, Charles

Etching on chine-collé en thick wove paper. Reference: Guiffrey 205; Béraldi page 188. Lower right sheet corner torn off, in wide margins, well awa...

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Charles MAURIN - Street in Montmartre - Etching and aquatint - detail
$625

Street in Montmartre

MAURIN, Charles

Etching and aquatint on wove paper.  Likely one of the artist's early etchings, which often depicted "La Butte Montmartre" and its picturesque stre...

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Felix Buhot - Cochons au Soleil - second state - detail Sold
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Pigs in the Sun

BUHOT, Felix

Cochons au Soleil (original French title) Drypoint (mostly with the burr shaved off), aquatint, roulette, and very probably touches of etching prin...

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Felix Buhot - Le Hibou - detail - impression a l'essence
$8,300

The Owl

BUHOT, Felix

Le Hibou (original French title) Etching, aquatint, roulette, and drypoint on olive-greenish laid paper, 1893.Reference: Bourcard & Goodfriend ...

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Jacques VILLON - Le Potin - The Gossip - Aquatint and drypoint - 1904 - detail
$2,400

The Gossip

VILLON, Jacques

Le Potin (original French title) Aquatint and drypoint on wove paper. Reference: Ginestet et Pouillon 96. Undescribed state proof, between the firs...

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William J. PATTERSON - Sleep - Etching and aquatint - trial proof - detail
$250

Sleep

PATTERSON, William J.

Etching and aquatint on wove paper. No known edition, but proofs exist including in the University of Syracuse Art Museum collection (see here). Si...

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