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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.

Masao Yoshida - Abstraction in Brown - title unknown - Paris - Atelier 17 - 1963 - color aquatint - detail
$600

Abstraction in Brown

YOSHIDA, Masao

Color aquatint and soft ground etching on Arches wove paper, 1963.This is likely printed using the Atelier 17 method of simultaneous color printing...

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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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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.

Gil Cowley - 5eme Arrondisment - December 1963 - intaglio - mixed media - detail
$350

5eme Arrondissement

COWLEY, Gil

Intaglio printed in black ink on wove paper, 1963.Stated edition of 25.Signed, titled, dated “12/63”, numbered and annotated “Paris” in pencil. May...

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