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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.

Bernard Boutet de Monvel - L'Heure du Repos - canal town - BN-IFF 5 - Color etching and aquatint Sold
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L'Heure du Repos

BOUTET DE MONVEL, Bernard

Color etching and aquatint. Refs: DC 366; BN-IFF 5. Monogrammed in the plate. Signed in the lower right platemark in pencil. Annotated "L'heure du ...

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Richard Ranft color aquatint Sold
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At the Ball

RANFT, Richard

Au Bal  (original French title) Color aquatint on wove paper.Small edition of color variants, rare.Signed and numbered in pencil. We have had this ...

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Martin Levine - Madison and 50th - New York City - etching and aquatint
$450

Madison & 50th

LEVINE, Martin

Etching and aquatint printed on Hahnemühle Copperplate Bright White wove paper.Edition of 120, published by the Madison Print Club.There were a fur...

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Jacques Villon - Marcel Duchamp - Le Chef d'Oeuvre - Masterpiece - Mother holding daughter drawing - Belle Epoque Sold
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The Masterpiece

VILLON, Jacques

Le Chef d’Oeuvre (original French title) Drypoint, aquatint and roulette printed in four colors, à la poupée (yet from two registered plates) on wo...

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David Smith-Harrison - Plum Tree III - etching and aquatint - architecture
$500

Plum Tree III

SMITH-HARRISON, David

Etching and aquatint printed in color on wove paper.Edition of 200.Signed, titled and numbered in pencil.

Terry Haass - Variations 1 - 1970 - Spielmann 282.1 - green geometric circle, aquatint etching
$175

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.

Terry Haass - Variations 2 - 1970 - Spielmann 282.2 - pink and blue split circle geometric
$175

Variations 2

HAASS, Terry

Cut-out color aquatint and etching on BFK Rives wove paper. Reference: Spielmann 282.2. Edition of 100. Signed, titled, and numbered in pencil.

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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J Jay McVicker - Tropical Washday - Aquatint and etching on wove paper - 1946.
$750

Tropical Washday

McVICKER, J. Jay

Aquatint and etching on wove paper. Edition of 100.  Signed in pencil.

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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Maurice LANGASKENS - Un Conte de Noël - A Christmas Tale - Color etching and aquatint detail Sold
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A Christmas Tale

LANGASKENS, Maurice

Un Conte de Noël (original French title) Color etching and aquatint on wove paper, no date. An artist’s proof. Edition unknown. Cautiously a man le...

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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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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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