The Art of Etchings and Engravings

  What does it mean to have this traditional form of art hanging on your wall?

When art publishing reached a peak in popularity during the Victorian era, etching and engraving were the only methods artists could use to help their paintings reach a wider audience.

Today, there are more mechanical means available, hence the growth of limited edition lithographs, but the charm and standing of this traditional form of publishing remains. These prints are from etchings and engravings (or Intaglio prints as they are often known) from the original plates that now span four centuries of art.

The unique depth of tone in intaglio printing comes from the way the plates hold ink in etched or engraved lines (hence etching or engraving) below the surface of the plate. When the inked plate is wound with considerable pressure through the intaglio press, the ink is drawn from these lines and is deposited on the paper surface. Due to its viscosity, the ink deposited on the paper retains the shape and depth of the line in the plate from which it was drawn; so that when the impression is dry, it is possible to feel the raised lines of ink on the printed impression. The whole process is performed entirely by the printers hands, using methods and tools passed down by generations of masters and apprentices. Some of the presses still in use are two centuries old.

The Water-Colourist's Art

The hand colouring of etchings or engravings is a very skilled task. The colourists are accomplished water-colour artists in their own right, and all are thoroughly trained in hand water-colouring of Intaglio prints.

Colouring must be conducted in a manner sympathetic to and working with the printed detail of an etching.

Part of the charm of hand colouring, is that each print has been worked on individually, and while two prints may have the same overall appearance, the fine detail and brush work will, upon close inspection be found to show small differences. In effect each print you buy may be thought of as a new original !

Only the best water-colour pigments are used, providing a purity and permanence of colour appropriate to this form of art.