Hard Pressed: 600 Years of Prints and Process

This invaluable publication surveys the history of printmaking with a particular focus on artists and works that expand the boundaries of various media, including woodcuts, etchings, engravings, lithographs, mezzotints, screenprints, and more, right up to the digital and photographic processes of today.

Appreciation for the art of printmaking swells and recedes in cycles. Just five years old, the International Print Center of New York may help anchor this medium's credibility at last. As part of the effort, curators Platzker and Wyckoff have produced a fine introduction that accompanies a major exhibit at the center. Two essays and plenty of illustrations cover all methods and time periods. Not overly technical in his approach, Wyckoff tackles the essentialsDwho mastered this technique and how and why they did soDgiving readers a better understanding of the medium's historical context. Platzker follows up with its social milieu, from construction to impact. His observations are crucial to a full understanding of this art. Highly recommended for any collection but especially useful for public libraries and undergraduate collections.DSusan Lense, Upper Arlington P.L., OH
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.