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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 - Enez Bihan - Petite Ile - Small Island - Archipel Ebiens Hebiens - Saint-Jacut-de-la-Mer - Bretagne - Cotes-d'Armor
$400

Enez Bihan

BALLIF, Yannick

Color aquatint, spitbite (?) and drypoint on wove paper.Printed to the sheet edge, as usual.Edition of 70.Published by Galerie Antarès, Paris, with...

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Yannick Ballif - Luz do Dia - Daylight - embossed print - color aquatint - drypoint - room with a view - window - detail
$400

Daylight

BALLIF, Yannick

Luz Do Dia (original Portugese title) Embossed color aquatint and drypoint on wove paper.Printed to the sheet edge, as usual.Edition of 70.Publishe...

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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. 

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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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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