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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.

Birds of Prey Sold
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Birds of Prey

PROUVE, Victor

Oiseaux de Proie (original French title) Etching and aquatint printed in olive-green on Arches laid paper.Reference: Stein & Karshan 55.Edition...

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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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On the Beach Sold
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On the Beach

DU GARDIER, Raoul

Sur la Plage (original French title) Color aquatint printed on wove Van Gelder paper.Reference: BN-IFF pg. 155.Signed and numbered "43/60" in penci...

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Bernard Boutet de Monvel - Le Chaland - canal barge - Addade 46 - Aquatint and soft-ground etching Sold
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The Barge

BOUTET DE MONVEL, Bernard

La Chaland (original French title) Aquatint and soft-ground etching. Also titled "La Peniche". Printed in color on laid paper. Refs: Addade pg. 4...

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Yannick Ballif - Enez Bihan - Petite Ile - Small Island - Archipel Ebiens Hebiens - Saint-Jacut-de-la-Mer - Bretagne - Cotes-d'Armor
$400

Enez Bihan

BALLIF, Yannick

Color aquatint, spitbite (?) and drypoint on wove paper.Printed to the sheet edge, as usual.Edition of 70.Published by Galerie Antarès, Paris, with...

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Henry Ziegler - Night Flight - aquatint burnisher mezzotint effect - early aviation Sold
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Night Flight

ZIEGLER, Henry

Aquatint, burnisher and drypoint on wove paper, c. 1925.Artist’s proof, aside from an unknown edition; if one was actually printed, which is doubtf...

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Yannick Ballif - Quatre Iles - Four Islands - orange teal vegetation - leaves
$500

Four Islands

BALLIF, Yannick

Quatre Iles (original French title)Embossed color aquatint and linear scuffing on wove paper.Printed to the sheet edge, as usual.Trial proof, aside...

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Michael Fairclough - Western Isle II - colo aquatint - detail Sold
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Western Isle II

FAIRCLOUGH, Michael

Color aquatint on wove paper, 1982.Edition of 100.Published by Georgetown Graphics Inc for the Print Collectors Club, Washington DC.Signed and numb...

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