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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.

Bernard Boutet de Monvel - Les Levriers - street scene greyhounds - color aquatint and soft-ground etching Sold
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The Greyhounds

BOUTET DE MONVEL, Bernard

Les Levriers (original French title) Aquatint and soft-ground etching printed on wove paper.Ref: not in Addade, not in BN-IFF.Edition of 200.Signed...

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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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Louis Legrand - Au Bal (original French title) At the Ball - Aquatint , 1911, Paris.
$950

At the Ball

LEGRAND, Louis

Au Bal (original French title) Aquatint on Pellet et Legrand wove paper.Reference:  Exsteens 317 ; Arwas 431. Edition of 70. Published by Gustave P...

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Bernard Boutet de Monvel - La Vieille - detail
$950

The Old Woman

BOUTET DE MONVEL, Bernard

La Vieille (original French titles) Color aquatint and soft-ground etching on thick wove paper.Ref: BN-IFF 4-5; not in Addade.Edition of 50, quite ...

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