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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.

Allan Osterlind - Le Bapteme a Treboul - Baptism - Brittany Bretagne - tradition - color aquatint - detail
$750

The Baptism in Treboul

OSTERLIND, Allan

Le Baptême à Tréboul (original French title)  Color aquatint and etching on Arches wove paper.Edition unknown, but like most of the artist’s work s...

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Emile Dezaunay - La Messe en Bretagne - Bretton coiffe - color intaglio - detail Sold
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Mass in Brittany

DEZAUNAY, Emile-Alfred

La Messe en Bretagne (descriptive French title) Aquatint, etching, roulette & drypoint printed in color on Arches laid paper, circa 1900.Refere...

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Krishna Reddy - Opaque Space Sold
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Opaque Space

REDDY, Krishna

Color aquatint, etching, and engraving printed on wove BFK Rives paper.Artist’s proof.  No stated edition has been identified, and it is unlikely t...

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Dream of Worship
$700

Dream of Worship

VON ESSEN, Hein

Droom der Aanbidden (original Dutch title) Etching and aquatint printed on thick tan wove paper.Two states, one without the background of the sun’s...

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TF Simon - St Chapelle Paris - soft ground and aquatint - 1911 - detail Sold
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St. Chapelle, Paris

SIMON, Tavik Frantisek

Aquatint and soft-ground etching printed in color on simili-Japan wove paper.Reference: Novák 177. Edition of 100.Signed in pencil.