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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.

Seated Man or Sailor Smoking Sold
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Seated Man or Sailor Smoking

McCLELLAN POTTER, Louis

Color aquatint & etching printed on Arches laid paper.Reference: Cate & Grivel 143 (ill. page 115).Edition of 50.

Charles Houdard - Charles Louis Marcel Houdard - Les Grenouilles - Frogs - dedicated to Henri Guerard - detail Sold
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Frogs

HOUDARD, Charles

Grenouilles (original French title) Color aquatint on chine paper, 1894.References: Stein and Karshan 36; Boyer and Cate 36.Artist’s proof aside fr...

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Yannick Ballif - Luz do Dia - Daylight - embossed print - color aquatint - drypoint - room with a view - window - detail
$400

Daylight

BALLIF, Yannick

Luz Do Dia (original Portugese title) Embossed color aquatint and drypoint on wove paper.Printed to the sheet edge, as usual.Edition of 70.Publishe...

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Maurice Taquoy - Chiens d'Arrets - Pointer Dogs - oblong hunting scene - at attention - detail Sold
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Pointer Dogs

TAQUOY, Maurice

Chiens d’Arrêt (original French title) Aquatint and soft-ground etching printed in color on wove paper.Likely an edition of 50.The dogs depicted ar...

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Yannick Ballif - Fenetre d'Ete - window with slatted shade blue flowers - detail Sold
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Summer Window

BALLIF, Yannick

Fenêtre d’Eté (original French title) Embossed color aquatint and drypoint on wove paper, 1983.Printed to the sheet edge, as usual.Artist’s proof. ...

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Karen Parker Meditation AP 1986 detail Sold
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Meditation

PARKER, Karen

Aquatint and etching printed in blue ink on wove paper.Edition unknown; ours one of 10 artist’s proofs.The border surrounding the composition is se...

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