Object Details
Artist
Robert Kipniss
Date
20th century
Medium
Mezzotint plate, copper
Dimensions
Plate: 11 3/4 x 9 1/4 inches (29.8 x 23.5 cm)
Sheet: 17 1/2 x 14 1/2 inches (44.5 x 36.8 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Robert Kipniss
Object
Number
98.054.004
The mezzotint process is an exacting one and is the only printing technique that works from dark to (…)
The mezzotint process is an exacting one and is the only printing technique that works from dark to light. The artist starts with a blank plate and scores the entire surface with a multitoothed tool similar to a pizza cutter. Once the plate is completely lacerated with this tool, the artist begins to burnish out areas that will print lighter. The results are often delicately atmospheric, rich in shadow and light. (“Imprint/ In Print,” curated by Nancy E. Green with assistance from Christian Waibel ’17 and presented at the Johnson Museum August 8 – December 20, 2015)