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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.

Alphonse Lafitte - Manuel Robbe - Clair de Lune- aquatint Sold
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Clair de Lune

LAFITTE, Alphonse

Aquatint on wove MBM paper. Signed in black crayon "Alphonse Lafitte", a well-documented pseudonym for artist Manuel Robbe. Signed in black crayon....

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Edgar Chahine - Les Maneges - Merry Go Round - Tabanelli 280 - aquatint etching drypoint - detail
$1,500

The Merry-Go-Round

CHAHINE, Edgar

Les Manèges (original French title) Aquatint, etching and drypoint printed in bistre on laid paper.Reference: Tabanelli 280.Edition of 50.Signed in...

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Samuel L. Margolies - Lengthening Shadows - snow scene - lithograph
$500

Lengthening Shadows

MARGOLIES, Samuel L.

Aquatint and etching on wove paper. Edition unknown. Signed and titled in pencil. Very fine impression in near perfect condition, aside from the fa...

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Bernard Boutet de Monvel - Le Chaland - canal barge - Addade 46 - Aquatint and soft-ground etching Sold
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The Barge

BOUTET DE MONVEL, Bernard

La Chaland (original French title) Aquatint and soft-ground etching. Also titled "La Peniche". Printed in color on laid paper. Refs: Addade pg. 4...

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Henry Ziegler - Night Flight - aquatint burnisher mezzotint effect - early aviation Sold
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Night Flight

ZIEGLER, Henry

Aquatint, burnisher and drypoint on wove paper, c. 1925.Artist’s proof, aside from an unknown edition; if one was actually printed, which is doubtf...

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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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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. 

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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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. 

Eugene Bejot - Notre-Dame de Paris de Nuit - At night - ephemera before letters - detail Sold
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Notre-Dame

BEJOT, Eugene

Aquatint printed in bluish-black ink on laid paper.Reference: BN-IFF 108. Unlikely edition of 50 in this state.  There were at least three states o...

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Guerard - Deux Martyrs - Honfleur - B317 - detail Sold
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Two Martyrs

GUERARD, Henri

Deux Martyrs (Honfleur) (original French title) Etching, aquatint, and burnisher on laid Arches paper.Ref: Bertin 188.  Only one known state.Signed...

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