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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.

Kathleen Spagnolo - Cinema - color intaglio - color viscosity - detail Sold
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Cinema

SPAGNOLO, Kathleen M

Color aquatint and etching on Arches wove paper.Artists proof.  Edition unknown, but likely small, if any was printed at all.  We have never seen a...

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Louis Legrand - La Petite Classe - La Gosse - intaglio - young ballerina entering a room Sold
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La Gosse

LEGRAND, Louis

Aquatint and drypoint on simili-Japan paper. Refs: Exsteens 248; Arwas 359.  Edition of 100. From the album, “Le Petite Classe”.  Numbered “25/100...

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George Jo Mess - Summer Nocturne - color intaglio Sold
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Summer Nocturne

MESS, George Jo

Etching and aquatint printed in blue ink on simili-Japan paper.Edition unknown, but very likely small. This composition seems scarce. Signed and ti...

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George Jo Mess - Handy Pump - intaglio Sold
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Handy Pump

MESS, George Jo

Color etching and aquatint on simili-Japan paper. Edition unknown, but likely small. Signed and titled in pencil. 

Terry Haass - Variations 1 - 1970 - Spielmann 282.1 - green geometric circle, aquatint etching Sold
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Variations 1

HAASS, Terry

Cut-out color aquatint and etching on BFK Rives wove paper, 1970. Reference: Spielmann 282.1. Edition of 100. Signed, titled, and numbered in pencil.

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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Terry Haass - Variations 2 - 1970 - Spielmann 282.2 - pink and blue split circle geometric
$175

Variations 2

HAASS, Terry

Cut-out color aquatint and etching on BFK Rives wove paper. Reference: Spielmann 282.2. Edition of 100. Signed, titled, and numbered in pencil.

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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Maurice Taquoy - Buse Prise au Piege - Trapped Buzzard - feathers - detail
$450

Trapped Buzzard

TAQUOY, Maurice

Buse Prise au Piège (original French title) Aquatint and etching printed in color on wove paper.Edition unknown, but apparently not very large.Like...

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Richard Ranft - Profil de Nuit - Night Profile - woman looking into distance landscape - detail Sold
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Night Profile

RANFT, Richard

Profil de Nuit (descriptive French title) Etching and aquatint printed in brownish-black ink on tan wove paper, n.d.Edition unknown, but likely ver...

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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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Ann Chernow - Mood Indigo - Etching - woman at night at table with lamp - detail
$300

Mood Indigo

CHERNOW, Ann

Aquatint and etching printed in dark bluish-black ink on wove paper. Edition of 12. Signed, titled, and numbered in pencil. 

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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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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Krishna Reddy - Two Fishes - Butterfly Formation - 1957 - Artists Proof - Epreuve d'Artiste - detail Sold
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Two Fishes

REDDY, Krishna

Color viscosity intaglio print on tan wove paper, 1957.Artist's proof.  No edition as a such.  But clearly used for another edition.Seemingly this ...

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Gil Cowley - Parc de Montssouris - Paris - Atelier 17 - color viscosity - February 1964 - detail Sold
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Parc de Montsouris

COWLEY, Gil

Color viscosity intaglio on wove paper.Edition of 10.Signed, dated “2/64”, annotated "PARIS", and numbered in pencil.