Hans Sebald Beham, The Lady and Death, 1541. Engraving, 7.9 x 5.2 cm. Bartsch 149; Pauli and Hollstein 150/I (de III). Provenance: private collection, Germany. Courtesy of Helmut H. Rumbler.
As one of the oldest art forms, printmaking is a multifaceted and storied discipline that is appreciated for both its narrative power and unique, varying technical qualities. It is an art form that revolutionised the accessibility of art to the public, an art form that offers artists a way to reproduce works as well as allowing them to further explore their creative realm. From May 19th to 22nd, the discipline will be celebrated for both its rich past and inspiring present at the Paris Print Fair; the first event of its kind, dedicated solely to printmaking. Hosted in the great Réfectoire of Couvent des Cordeliers, which is nestled in the heart of Paris’ 6th arrondissement, the Paris Print Fair will welcome 19 exhibitors along with amateurs and professionals to showcase and celebrate the diverse practice of printmaking.
Ando Hiroshige, No. 35, Yoshida: The Great Bridge over the Toyo River (Yoshida, Toyokawa, ôhashi), 1855. Colour woodcut on Japan paper, 36.5 x 23.5 cm. Courtesy of Galerie Christian Collin.
Organised by the Chambre Syndicale de l’Estampe, du Dessin et du Tableau (CSEDT), the event will trace the intriguing evolution of printmaking from the 15th century to present day. Featuring the works of the masters of printmaking such as Dürer, Rembrandt, Picasso and Goya, the event will also showcase the work of current creatives from the likes of Bernar Venet, Barbara Rae and Kathy Prendergast. Christian Collin, President of the CSEDT and founder of the fair, explains, “As specialists and professionals, we are consistently faced with the question: what is printmaking?”. Emphasising the historical roots of an increasingly artistic practice, he continues: “From intaglio to relief, from lithography to silkscreen, the Paris Print Fair and its exhibitors act as both vectors of knowledge and interpreters of a longstanding history. Printmaking is the enduring memory of civilisations, witness to a thirst for visual representation that still resonates to this day.”
A meeting point for artists, dealers, collectors and institutions, the fair offers professionals across the creative industry to immerse themselves in a knowledge exchange about printmaking and beyond, allowing them to reflect upon the past, present and future of printmaking. The fair, says Christian Collin, “[strives] to erect bridges between the many forms of printmaking today, a practice at once centennial and widely contemporary, and as it unfolds across the continents – and ultimately, to welcome new audiences and cultivate a new dynamism around the discipline.”