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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.

Alphonse Lafitte - Manuel Robbe - Clair de Lune- aquatint Sold
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Clair de Lune

LAFITTE, Alphonse

Aquatint on wove MBM paper. Signed in black crayon "Alphonse Lafitte", a well-documented pseudonym for artist Manuel Robbe. Signed in black crayon....

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Eugene Bejot - color etching and aquatint - bridge and Notre-Dame de Paris Sold
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The Estacade

BEJOT, Eugene

L’Estacade (original French title) Etching and aquatint printed in four colors on japon paper.Refrence: BN-IFF 174.Edition unknown, scarce.  Findin...

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Shaded River Sold
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Shaded River

MEUNIER, Henri

Rivière Ombragée (descriptive French title)Color aquatint printed on Arches laid paper.Artist's proof, before the edition.Published by Georges Peti...

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Space Object
$175

Space Object

CIESLARCZYK, Adolphe

Color aquatint printed on wove paper. Edition of 40. Published by Jacqueline de Champvallins, Paris. Signed and numbered "4/40" in pencil. TO SEE M...

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The Wave Sold
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The Wave

JOURDAIN, Francis

La Vague or La Mer (original French titles) Etching and aquatint printed on laid paper.Reference: Cate & Grivel 104 (ill. pg. 122).Edition of 3...

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Bernard Boutet de Monvel - Les Anes - state proof - donkey canal town dusk - color aquatint and soft-ground etching Sold
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The Donkeys

BOUTET DE MONVEL, Bernard

Les Anes (original French title) Color aquatint and soft-ground etching printed on thick wove paper.References: not in Addade, nor in BN-IFF.State ...

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Charles Houdard - Charles Louis Marcel Houdard - Les Grenouilles - Frogs - dedicated to Henri Guerard - detail Sold
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Frogs

HOUDARD, Charles

Grenouilles (original French title) Color aquatint on chine paper, 1894.References: Stein and Karshan 36; Boyer and Cate 36.Artist’s proof aside fr...

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Barbara Neustadt - Odysseus Perils - Aquatint soft ground etching abstract green - detail Sold
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Odysseus' Perils

NEUSTADT, Barbara

Aquatint and soft-ground etching printed in simultaneous color printing (color viscosity) on Arches wove paper.Proof impression, aside from the edi...

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George Jo Mess - Handy Pump - intaglio Sold
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Handy Pump

MESS, George Jo

Color etching and aquatint on simili-Japan paper. Edition unknown, but likely small. Signed and titled in pencil. 

Terry Haass - Variations 1 - 1970 - Spielmann 282.1 - green geometric circle, aquatint etching Sold
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Variations 1

HAASS, Terry

Cut-out color aquatint and etching on BFK Rives wove paper, 1970. Reference: Spielmann 282.1. Edition of 100. Signed, titled, and numbered in pencil.

Gil Cowley - Parc de Montssouris - Paris - Atelier 17 - color viscosity - February 1964 - detail Sold
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Parc de Montsouris

COWLEY, Gil

Color viscosity intaglio on wove paper.Edition of 10.Signed, dated “2/64”, annotated "PARIS", and numbered in pencil.

Shaul Banay - Ben Banay - Mm Papillon - Mrs Butterfly - 1975 - detail1 Sold
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Ms. Butterfly

BANAY, Ben

Mm. Papillon (original French title) Cutout etching and aquatint printed in color on Arches wove paper.Edition of 100.Published by Georgetown Graph...

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Charles Houdard - L'Etang - The Pond - quiet landscape color aquatint - detail Sold
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The Pond

HOUDARD, Charles

L’Etang (original French title) Color aquatint with touches of etching or drypoint on wove “SPECIAL MBM” paper.Reference: Bibliotheque Nationale - ...

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Terry Haass - Happy Pentagone 5 - 1973 - Spielmann 286.5 - detail
$200

Pentagone 5

HAASS, Terry

Cut-out color aquatint and etching on BFK Rives wove paper.Reference: Spielmann 286.5.Edition of 100. Signed, titled, and numbered in pencil. NOTE:...

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Terry Haass - Happy Pentagone 4 - 1973 - Spielmann 286.4 - detail Sold
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Pentagone 4

HAASS, Terry

Cut-out color aquatint and etching on BFK Rives wove paper.Reference: Spielmann 286.4.Edition of 100.Signed, titled, and numbered in pencil. Condit...

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Gil Cowley - Earth - color viscosity aquatint - February 1964 - edition of 10 - numbered 4 of 10 - Atelier 17 - detail Sold
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Earth

COWLEY, Gil

Color viscosity intaglio on Arches wove paper.Stated edition of 10, but according to the artist likely not printed in full.Printed while the artist...

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