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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.

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 - Fleurs - Eglantine - Eglantier - Sweet-Brier - pink flowers - detail
$325

Sweet-Brier

BALLIF, Yannick

Eglantine (original French title) Embossed color aquatint and drypoint on wove paper, 1986.Artist’s proof.  Edition unknown.Signed and dated in pen...

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Yannick Ballif - Clematite - Clematis - vine plans flowering - deep royal blue - detail Sold
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Clematis

BALLIF, Yannick

Clematite (original French title) Embossed color aquatint and drypoint on wove paper.The “BAT” impression.  The abbreviation stands for “Bon à tire...

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