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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.

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.

Eugene Bejot - Notre-Dame de Paris de Nuit - At night - ephemera before letters - detail Sold
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Notre-Dame

BEJOT, Eugene

Aquatint printed in bluish-black ink on laid paper.Reference: BN-IFF 108. Unlikely edition of 50 in this state.  There were at least three states o...

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Gil Cowley - 5eme Arrondisment - December 1963 - intaglio - mixed media - detail
$350

5eme Arrondissement

COWLEY, Gil

Intaglio printed in black ink on wove paper, 1963.Stated edition of 25.Signed, titled, dated “12/63”, numbered and annotated “Paris” in pencil. May...

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Jacques Villon, Le Femme au Piano, d’après Marcel Gromaire (original French title) Color etching and aquatint on thick wove paper, 1928-29. Sold
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Woman at the Piano

VILLON, Jacques

 Le Femme au Piano, d’après Marcel Gromaire (original French title) Color etching and aquatint on thick wove paper.References: Ginestet & Pouil...

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Louis Legrand - Au Bal (original French title) At the Ball - Aquatint , 1911, Paris.
$950

At the Ball

LEGRAND, Louis

Au Bal (original French title) Aquatint on Pellet et Legrand wove paper.Reference:  Exsteens 317 ; Arwas 431. Edition of 70. Published by Gustave P...

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Edgar Chahine - Vieille Femme - drypoint - downtrodden - vie lamentable - detail Sold
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Old Woman

CHAHINE, Edgar

Vieille Femme (original French title)Drypoint, etching, and aquatint on laid paper.Reference: Tabanelli 43. From the total edition of 40 in the sec...

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Charles MAURIN - Luxembourg Gardens - Le Jardin du Luxembourg - Color etching and aquatint on laid paper – 1900 - detail Sold
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Luxembourg Gardens

MAURIN, Charles

Jardin du Luxembourg (original French title) Color etching and aquatint on laid paper. Ref: Goldschmidt 25.  Edition of 50.  Published by Charles H...

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FELIX BUHOT L Hiver a Paris - La Neige a Paris - Winter in Paris - detail
$1,300

Winter in Paris

BUHOT, Felix

L’Hiver à Paris or La Neige à Paris (original French titles) Etching, aquatint, scraper, and drypoint on laid paper.Reference: Bourcard & Goodf...

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Edgar Chahine - Un Gueux - A Beggar - early etching - Armenian Art - detail
$650

A Beggar

CHAHINE, Edgar

Un Gueux (original French title) Etching and aquatint on laid paper. Reference: Tabanelli 10. On impression in black ink only. Impressions in color...

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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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Dans le Jardin
$700

Dans le Jardin

ROBBE, Manuel

Color aquatint on laid paper, circa 1907. Reference: Merrill Chase 27. Likely an edition of 100. Signed in crayon on the image, and numbered below ...

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