Afgehakt hoofd en brandende kaars

About this artwork

aquatint en ets in donkerbruin

Art Historical Context

Henri Charles Guérard’s *Afgehakt hoofd enende kaars* (ed Head and Burning Candle created in 1895, is a striking aquatint etching executed in dark brown ink. just 165 mm high by 100 mm wide, this intimate print invites close contemplation, characteristic of the refined printmaking tradition Guérard championed as a leading French engraver of the fin-de-siècle. Aquatint, the primary technique here combined with etching, allowed Guérard to achieve velvety tonal gradations and subtle textures, mimicking the richness of painting in a graphic medium. Popularized in the 18th century but perfected by...