Trial Pattern: Western [working proof 1]
2001
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
color aquatint and soft ground etching on wove Somerset paper [working proof 1]
Dimensions
plate: 45.2 × 36.2 cm (17 13/16 × 14 1/4 in.) sheet: 58.2 × 46.7 cm (22 15/16 × 18 3/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Kathan Brown
Accession Number
2024.132.576
Art Historical Context
Gay Outlaw's *Trial Pattern: Western [working proof1]* (2001) invites visitors into the intimate world of printmaking experimentation. This color aquatint and soft ground etching on luxurious wove Somerset paper captures the artist's iterative process at an early stage, as indicated by its "working proof 1 status. Measuring 45.2 × .2 cm on the plate, the print exemplifies contemporary American printmaking's emphasis on technical innovation and abstraction. Aquatint allows for velvety tonal gradients and rich color layers, while soft ground etching textured impressions—often from pressing obje...