Hockney also followed in Picasso’s footsteps on another level; through his choice of new etching techniques. Hockney was living in Paris between 1973 and 1975 and worked extensively during this period at the Atelier Crommelynck where Picasso had made prints during the final two decades of his life. Aldo Crommelynck introduced Hockney to both the use of the sugar-lift technique, which enabled him to recreate brush marks on the etched plate, and the use of a single plate for multi-coloured etchings rather than having to register separate plates for each colour. Both of these techniques were revelations for Hockney and proved essential to the genesis of his ‘Blue Guitar’ prints.
‘The Blue Guitar’ portfolio contains twenty etchings drawn by David Hockney in London in the Autumn of 1976 and Spring of 1977. These were proofed by Maurice Payne each from two copper plates inked from a selection of five colours, red, yellow, blue, green and black. The paper was mould made at the Inveresk Mill in Somerset and torn to a finished size of 46 x 53 cm. The editions were printed by hand in London and New York at the Petersburg Studios. Each of the etchings is stamped on the reverse with the title and signed and numbered by the artist. The edition is 200 plus 35 proofs. The portfolio was published in October 1977 by Petersburg Press.
Image Size | 34.5 x 42.5 cm |
Paper Size | 46 x 53 cm |
Reference | Tokyo 195 |
Collections | MOMA, New York; Art Institute of Chicago; British Council |