I’m a huge fan of antique prints. Yes, I know most dealers or auctioneers groan when presented with one unless it’s by an internationally known master, but I think they’re an undiscovered treasure trove. Partly because they are typically extremely affordable and allow us to own an original work by a major artist, or they represent a fascinating or important art movement.
They also often tell the most amazing stories – true voyages of discovery. And often for less than £30.
The first thing to understand is that most (not all) prints are original, individual works of art, by virtue of the way they were made. They weren’t just churned out identically. My sweet spot lies with etchings, where this is most true. The copper plate wears as it is used, affecting the printed image, an artist may rework or change details (creating different ‘states’), and variations can also occur due to the inking process, the ink and even the paper used.
I’ve been collecting etchings since I was a teenager. Over an irregular series of articles, I’m going to be examining what I saw in an etching, and why I added it to my collection.
First up, a Finnish Expressionist treasure, spotted in a vast antiques and homewares warehouse on the outskirts of Helsinki late last year…
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