Robert Kipniss: Intaglio's 1982-2004

Rating:
Summary: SUPERB BOOK OF VISIONARY MASTER'S PRINTS
Review: Robert Kipniss has for many years been respected for his drawings and paintings, but he's most admired and defined by his print work. The 158 reproductions found in this catalogue raisonne of his intaglios present abundant evidence of why this is so.

As the title implies, this volume emphasizes intaglio prints but it also it presents several drawings and oil paintings. This is necessary because Mr. Kipniss cross pollinates images from one medium to another. But it is intaglios that predominate here, especially mezzotints.

The technique by which mezzotints are created give them their special look: the surface of a copper plate is prepared either mechanically or by hand with a steel instrument called a rocker that has a slightly curved surface composed of many pointed teeth to texturize the plate and this creates a toned effect when printed. On this surface an artist uses one or more of various kinds of steel burnishers and scrapers to polish the rough copper surface. This polishing decreases the amount of ink the plate will hold and permits the artist to achieve a wide and subtle range of tonal effects, the name mezzotint means "middle tones." In mezzotints forms emerge from darkness and this gives them a distinctive and magical appearance.

Kipniss' mastery of this technique imbues his subjects with a contemplative solitary mood, whether the image is landscapes, or views of towns featuring trees, house, or both; closer views of isolated trees or branches with leaves and still lives in front of window views.

Although his images are realistic, Mr. Kipniss distills the forms to essential shapes and he uses a wide range of values to intensify light and mood. His prints have an air of dreamlike stillness and mystery. These are works suffused with ethereal otherworldliness and, in my opinion, are achingly beautiful.

This is a handsomely produced book and has excellent, mostly full page, reproductions. I saw an exhibition on Mr. Kipniss' prints at a local gallery last month and must admit to being pleasantly surprised to find that the reproductions is this book lose none of the subtlety of the prints.

The essays by Trudie A. Grace and Thomas Piche' Jr. are both informative and a pleasure to read with a complete absence of art speak or obscurantist jargon.

I think that is one of the best art books of 2004. A complete joy.