Prints

Prints are works of art produced by transferring ink from a prepared matrix to a surface, usually paper. Unlike a unique drawing or painting, many prints exist in multiple impressions, created as part of an edition. The process enables artists to reproduce images, reach wider audiences, and explore variations within a consistent form.

Traditional printmaking methods are grouped by how the matrix holds ink: relief, intaglio, planography, and screen printing. Relief techniques include woodcut and linocut, where the raised areas print while the recessed areas remain ink-free. Intaglio includes engraving, etching, aquatint, and mezzotint, where ink sits in grooves cut into a metal plate and is transferred to paper under pressure. Planography uses a flat surface; lithography is the principal example, based on oil and water repulsion on limestone or metal. Silkscreen or serigraphy pushes ink through a stencil on a mesh screen to form an image. Monotype and monoprint refer to methods that produce a single impression with unique variations.

Editions and authentication: Most prints are issued in numbered sets called editions, with a limited run that increases their value and collectability. A trial or artist’s proof (A.P.) may be printed before the edition and not counted in the edition size. Signatures, dates, and numbering on the print or its mount help establish provenance. Printmakers may collaborate with publishers or workshops to produce editions, but the artist’s involvement is common in fine art printmaking.

History and significance: The practice originated with woodblock printing in East Asia and spread to Europe in the early modern period, where intaglio and later lithography expanded possibilities. In the 20th century, prints became a central medium for modern artists, including Picasso, Matisse, Warhol, and many others, who used serial printing to explore repetition, variation, and mass production. Today prints remain a crucial form of graphic art—reproducible, collectible, and widely studied.