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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.

George Jo Mess - Summer Nocturne - color intaglio Sold
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Summer Nocturne

MESS, George Jo

Etching and aquatint printed in blue ink on simili-Japan paper.Edition unknown, but very likely small. This composition seems scarce. Signed and ti...

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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. 

Edmond Rigal - Caryatid - Engraving and aquatint Sold
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Caryatid

RIGAL, Edmond

Engraving and aquatint in bluish-black ink on tan wove paper.   Edition of 50.  Signed and numbered in pencil. 

Henry Chapront - Seigneur prenez pitie - Huysmans - La-Bas - detail
$400

Lord Have mercy

CHAPRONT, Henry

Seigneur Prenez Pitié… (original French title) Aquatint printed in blue and warm-gray inks on wove BFK Rives paper, circa 1918. This plate was poss...

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Henry Chapront - L'Alsace 1st State - detail
$400

The Alsace

CHAPRONT, Henry

L’Alsace… (original French title) Aquatint printed in blue ink, with a touch of red in the cockade on simili-Japan paper, April 1916. One of 8 impr...

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Henri Delavallee - Angelique à Sa Porte - Angelique at Her Door - edition - detail
$800

Angelique at Her Door

DELAVALLEE, Henri

Angélique à Sa Porte (original French title) Soft-ground etching, etching, and aquatint on laid paper. Reference: Morane 15.We present two states o...

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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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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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