Filters

color

era

exhibition

format

location

nationality

printer

publisher

sale

scale

scape

style

subject

technique

weather

year

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.

Terry Wilson - Anatomy of a Scream - Aquatint mezzotint drypoint - detail
$400

Anatomy of a Scream

WILSON, Terry

Aquatint, mezzotint, and drypoint on Arches wove paper.Edition of 100.Published by Georgetown Graphics Inc for the Print Collectors Club, Washingto...

View full details
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.

Edmond Rigal - Caryatid - Engraving and aquatint Sold
View Details

Caryatid

RIGAL, Edmond

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

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

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...

View full details
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...

View full details
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...

View full details
Bernard Boutet de Monvel - La Vieille - detail
$950

The Old Woman

BOUTET DE MONVEL, Bernard

La Vieille (original French titles) Color aquatint and soft-ground etching on thick wove paper.Ref: BN-IFF 4-5; not in Addade.Edition of 50, quite ...

View full details
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...

View full details
Richard Ranft - Promenade Matinale - ombrelle - Belgian Malinois - white cross on chest - malinois noir - detail 1 Sold
View Details

Morning Walk

RANFT, Richard

Promenade Matinale (original French title) Etching and aquatint printed in color on wove paper, circa 1900.Edition of 50. This print has become qui...

View full details
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...

View full details