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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.

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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Felix Buhot - Le Hibou - detail - impression a l'essence
$8,300

The Owl

BUHOT, Felix

Le Hibou (original French title) Etching, aquatint, roulette, and drypoint on olive-greenish laid paper, 1893.Reference: Bourcard & Goodfriend ...

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Raoul Du GARDIER - Bathers - Baigneuses - Color etching and aquatint - 1912 - detail Sold
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Bathers

DU GARDIER, Raoul

Baigneuses (original French title) Color etching and aquatint on laid Arches paper.Reference: listed as missing in BN-IFF. Edition of 50, but quite...

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William J. PATTERSON - Sleep - Etching and aquatint - trial proof - detail
$250

Sleep

PATTERSON, William J.

Etching and aquatint on wove paper. No known edition, but proofs exist including in the University of Syracuse Art Museum collection (see here). Si...

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Eugène DELÂTRE - Moonrise - Lever de Lune - Color aquatint and etching - circa 1898 - detail Sold
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Moonrise

DELATRE, Eugene

Lever de Lune (original French title) Color aquatint and etching on Arches laid paper, circa 1898. Ref: BN-IFF 9-11. Seemingly an edition of 200 (i...

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Onelio Marrero - Two Waiting Ballerinas - Etching and aquatint in brown ink - 2012 - detail
$170

Two Waiting Ballerinas

MARRERO, Onelio

Etching and aquatint in brown ink on Rives paper.Edition of 15.Signed, dated and numbered 12/15 in pencil.