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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.

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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Guerard - Deux Martyrs - Honfleur - B317 - detail Sold
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Two Martyrs

GUERARD, Henri

Deux Martyrs (Honfleur) (original French title) Etching, aquatint, and burnisher on laid Arches paper.Ref: Bertin 188.  Only one known state.Signed...

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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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