Roman Walls II
Artist
Cleve Gray
(American, 1918–2004)
Dateabout 1980
Mediumetching, aquatint and sugarlift on white Fabriano wove paper
Dimensions69.3 x 49.2 cm (plate), 99.6 x 70.8 cm (sheet)
ClassificationsPrints
MarkingsWatermark: FA FABRIANO; chopmark, l.l.: "VIGNA ANTONINIANA/STAMPERIA DARTE" surrounding "AA"
Credit LineGift of Cleve Gray
Object number2000.57
Label TextAmerican Abstract Expressionist Cleve Gray (1918-2004) uses two sophisticated etching techniques in the Roman Walls I and II: aquatint and sugarlift etching.
Aquatint is a process whereby a copper plate is dusted with a fine granular rosin. The plate is heated, causing the grains to adhere to the plate. When the plate is submerged in acid, it bites around the grains, resulting in soft tonality. Painting the acid unevenly over the prepared aquatint plate creates the reddish watercolor effect evident in both finished versions of Roman Walls.
Easily mistaken for lithography, sugarlift etching preserves an artist’s brushstroke and allows for broad areas of color. A copper plate is prepared with a protective coating. The artist paints directly onto the plate’s surface with a solution of sugar and water. The sugar solution hardens and is “lifted” off the plate. The coating around the sugar-painted marks will remain vacant while the lifted areas will be exposed to the acid and print the ink color. In Gray’s work, the broad, black gestural strokes were accomplished using sugarlift etching.
ProvenanceCollection of the artist, Warren, CTOn View
Not on view
