Accession Number
1973/2.3

Title
Eau-forte XX

Artist(s)
Pierre Soulages

Artist Nationality
French (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
1972

Medium & Support
aquatint and etching on paper

Dimensions
19 13/16 in x 25 15/16 in (50.3 cm x 65.9 cm);27 in x 34 in (68.6 cm x 86.4 cm)

Credit Line
Museum Purchase

Subject matter
Pierre Soulages began experimenting with etchings and engravings such as this one in the 1950s.  At first, the works were extremely reminiscent of the calligraphic forms of his earlier paintings.  However, as he gained more experience with the medium, he used printmaking as a way to experiment with the effects of the process.  Here, he has allowed the acid involved in the etching process to purposefully errode various portions of the composition that would have otherwise been inked. He applied a varnish over the ink as well, experimenting with the different ways in which this would effect the black color. Though printmaking was a controlled process for Soulages, he viewed the effects and results of this technical endeavor as a form of artistic expression in its own right.

Physical Description
This etching of a non-representational form resembles a wide ribbon, shaped almost like the number 4.  It is brownish in color with touches of black throughout, especially coming through around the edges. 

Primary Object Classification
Print

Collection Area
Modern and Contemporary

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
abstraction
etching (printing process)
experimentation
modern and contemporary art
nonrepresentational art