A
Abstraction
The process of leaving out of consideration one or more properties of a complex object so as to attend to others.
Adumbration
A sketchy, imperfect or faint representation.
Albumen
Eggwhite. Used on glass as a medium for light-sensitive emulsions to make finely detailed negatives. Albumen positive prints are made on paper coated with eggwhite and salt solution and sensitized with silver nitrite solution. The print is made by exposure to sunlight through a negative.
Altarpiece
A painted or carved screen placed above and behind an altar or communion table.
Aquatint
A print produced by the same technique as an etching, except that the areas between the etched lines are covered with a powdered resin that protects the surface from the biting process of the acid bath. The granular appearance that results in the print aims at approximating the effects and gray tonalities of a watercolor drawing.
Art Deco
Style of art characterized by repetitive, ornamental and highly finished, curvilinear and geometric designs (1920s–1930s).
Artist's Proof
An Artist's Proof is one outside the regular edition, but printed at the same time or after the regular edition from the same plates without changes. By custom, the artist retains the A/Ps for personal use or sale. Typically, 10% of the edition total is designated as A/P.
Art Nouveau
A style of decoration and architecture emphasizing fluid, biomorphic lines and swirling motifs.
Atelier
French term for a printer's workshop.
Avant-Garde
A group active in the invention and application of new ideas and techniques in an original or experimental way. Avant-garde works are often intended to challenge traditional artistic styles.
B
Baroque
An elaborate style of ornamentation in decorative art and architecture that flourished throughout Europe during the seventeenth century.
Bon à Tirer (B.A.T.)
When the artist is satisfied with the finished graphic, one perfect impression is approved and marked "Bon à Tirer," meaning "good to print." This impression becomes the standard against which all other prints in the edition are compared.
Blind
Printing with an uninked plate to create a subtle embossed image using only pressure, resulting in a white-on-white relief effect.
Bronze
An alloy primarily composed of copper and tin, valued for its strength, durability, and long history as a material for sculpture.
C
Carte-de-Visite
A mounted photographic print measuring approximately 4½ by 2½ inches, popular during the late nineteenth century, most often used for portrait photography.
Carver
An artist who creates sculpture.
Ceramics
The art of making objects from clay and firing them in a kiln. Earthenware, porcelain, sculpture, and enamel work all fall within ceramic arts. Ceramic materials may be decorated with slip, engobe, or glaze and formed by hand-building techniques or on a potter's wheel.
Certificate of Authenticity
A document that certifies the authenticity of an individual piece in an edition and states its current market value.
Charcoal
Impure carbon prepared from vegetable or animal substances and formed into drawing sticks for sketching and fine art.
Chiaroscuro
In drawing, painting, and printmaking, the balanced use of light and dark to create the illusion of depth and three-dimensional form. The technique became especially important during the Renaissance and was mastered by artists including Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt.
Chine Collé
A printmaking process in which a thin sheet of paper, such as rice paper, is adhered to a heavier backing sheet during the printing process.
Chop
Also called a dry stamp or seal. An embossed mark impressed onto a print by a workshop, printer, artist, or publisher to identify authentic prints.
Chromalith Replica
A continuous-tone reproduction with hand-drawn touch colors using both serigraphy and lithography.
Chromist
An artist or craftsman who separates paintings or drawings into individual colors for the printing process.
Classical
A style emphasizing symmetry, proportion, harmony of line, and balanced composition.
Collograph
A print created from a plate built up with applied materials such as glue, cloth, sand, or mat board. The surface is inked and printed using an intaglio press.
Collotype
Also known as a photo-gelatin print or heliotype. A reproduction process using a gelatin-coated glass or metal plate that produces continuous-tone images.
Commission
To order an original work of art directly from an artist.
Conservation Framing
Framing methods and materials designed to protect artwork from damage. Common practices include acid-free mats and backing boards, conservation glazing, and hinging artwork instead of permanently mounting it.
Copperplate
An engraved or etched plate of copper used to create printed impressions.
Craquelure
A network of fine cracks that develops naturally in the painted or varnished surface of an aging artwork.
Crosshatching
A shading technique created by drawing multiple sets of intersecting parallel lines.
D
Daguerreotype
Invented in 1838, the first practical photographic process in which an image was formed on a polished silver-coated copper plate. Each image is unique and cannot be reproduced from a negative.
Deckle
The naturally rough or feathered edge found on handmade paper.
Del.
From the Latin delineavit, meaning "he or she drew it." This notation is generally placed next to the artist's signature.
Diptych
A work of art consisting of two connected panels, often used for paintings or carved altarpieces.
Display
Something presented to the public; a visual presentation or exhibition.
Distort
To twist or alter the natural shape or appearance of a subject.
Documentation
A certificate identifying the materials, techniques, edition size, proofs, and production details of a print edition, typically signed by both the artist and printer.
Dry Mount
A mounting process that uses heat and dry adhesive tissue to permanently attach artwork or photographs to a rigid backing board.
Dye Transfer
A high-quality color photographic printing technique involving the transfer of dyes from three separately prepared images onto a single sheet of paper.
E
E.A.
Abbreviation for the French épreuve d'artiste, meaning Artist's Proof.
Ecce Homo
A representation of Jesus wearing a crown of thorns.
Edition
The total number of prints produced from an original image, generally excluding artist's proofs and special editions.
Enamel
Colored material fused onto metal or porcelain by firing, or paint applied to such surfaces.
Encaustic
A painting technique using pigments mixed with heated beeswax.
Engraving
The process of cutting designs into a hard surface such as metal to create printable images.
Etching
A printmaking process in which a metal plate coated with a protective ground is drawn into, then exposed to acid that bites the uncovered lines. Ink is applied to the etched grooves before printing under pressure.
Exc. or Imp.
From the Latin excudit, meaning "he or she executed or printed it."
F
Fauvism
An art movement launched in 1905 characterized by bright, non-natural colors and simplified forms.
Fillet
A thin molding used as an accent inside another frame molding, liner, or mat.
Fine Art
The products of human creativity collectively recognized as works of art.
Folk Art
Art of traditional or unknown origin reflecting the customs and values of a particular culture or community.
Fresco
The technique of painting onto freshly applied plaster before it dries.
Fugitive
Describes pigments or inks that are unstable and prone to fading over time.
Futurism
An early twentieth-century artistic movement that celebrated speed, technology, machinery, and modern life.
G
Gelatin Silver
A high-quality black-and-white photographic printing technique in which a natural protein is used to suspend light-sensitive silver halide crystals, binding them to photographic paper or film while allowing processing solutions to penetrate the surface.
Genre
A realistic depiction of scenes from everyday domestic life. The term may also refer to a category or class of artistic style or subject matter.
Gesso
A white primer, traditionally made from plaster and glue, applied to painting surfaces such as canvas or wood to prepare them for paint.
Giclée
A computer-controlled fine art printing process that uses microscopic sprays of archival ink to create exceptionally detailed reproductions. Giclée prints are known for their rich color, longevity, and museum-quality appearance.
Glaze
A glossy coating or transparent finish applied to a surface. In painting, glazing also refers to applying thin transparent layers of color over dried paint.
Gold Leaf
Extremely thin sheets of genuine gold applied to a prepared surface, most commonly decorative frames. The process requires multiple preparation layers before the gold is carefully burnished into place.
Gothic
A style emphasizing Christian imagery, dramatic verticality, brilliant color, and elaborate architectural detail.
Gouache
An opaque watercolor paint made by combining pigment with gum and additional white pigment or chalk to produce a matte finish.
Grisaille
A painting executed entirely in shades of gray, often used to imitate sculptural relief.
H
High Renaissance
The artistic style of the early sixteenth century in Florence and Rome, characterized by technical mastery, balanced composition, and humanistic ideals.
Hors de Commerce (H.C.)
Also known as H.C. prints. Prints outside the regular edition that may contain minor imperfections. They are generally not intended for sale and are often used as display or sample copies.
Hue
A color or the particular shade of a color.
I
Idiom
The distinctive style or visual language of a particular artist, school, or artistic movement.
Illustration
A general term describing a drawing or original work of art created to accompany or explain a subject.
Image
A visual representation of an object, person, or scene produced on a surface.
Image Size
The dimensions of the printed artwork itself, excluding the surrounding paper margins.
Impasto
A technique in which paint is applied thickly enough that brushstrokes or palette knife marks remain visible, creating a textured surface.
Impression
A single print produced from a woodblock, metal plate, linoleum block, or other printing surface.
Impressionism
An art movement founded in France during the late nineteenth century. Impressionist artists explored the changing effects of light through visible brushstrokes and vibrant color, often painting everyday scenes and landscapes.
Inc. or Sculp.
From the Latin incidit, meaning "he or she cut or engraved it." These abbreviations identify the individual who engraved the printing plate.
Intaglio
A family of printmaking techniques—including engraving, etching, aquatint, mezzotint, and drypoint—in which the image is created from recessed lines cut or etched into a metal plate.
Inv. or Invent.
From the Latin invenit, meaning "he or she designed it." This notation is typically placed beside the artist's signature.
L
Landscape
A painting depicting natural scenery such as mountains, forests, rivers, or open countryside.
Lacquer
A protective varnish often applied to wood or metal surfaces to create a durable, glossy finish.
Lithography
A printmaking process in which an image created with a greasy drawing material is transferred from a specially prepared stone or metal plate. The chemical process allows ink to adhere only to the drawn image while water repels it from the remaining surface.
Manifesto
In art, a published declaration explaining the theories, principles, or goals of an artistic movement. Manifestos often define the vision of an artist or group and encourage support or provoke discussion.
Mannerism
A style characterized by deliberate exaggeration, elegant distortion, and sophisticated composition that followed the High Renaissance.
Maquette
A small preliminary model, usually sculpted in wax or clay, created to demonstrate the design of a larger sculpture before final production.
Master Printer
A highly skilled printer who has mastered multiple printmaking techniques, including serigraphy, lithography, intaglio, and relief printing, and collaborates closely with artists to produce editions.
Medium
The material or substance used by an artist to create a work of art, or the liquid mixed with pigment to produce paint.
Mezzotint
An intaglio printmaking process that creates rich tonal variations by roughening and then smoothing areas of a metal plate before printing.
Model
The act of representing or creating the form of an object, figure, or concept.
Modernism
An artistic movement that rejected traditional styles in favor of innovation, experimentation, and new forms of expression during the early twentieth century.
Monochrome
A painting or artwork executed using varying shades, tints, and tones of a single color.
Monoprint
A unique print created by painting or inking a surface before transferring the image to paper. Although additional impressions may be produced, each differs significantly from the original.
Montage
An image composed by combining multiple photographs, prints, or visual elements into a single composition.
Monotype
A one-of-a-kind print created by painting directly onto a smooth surface such as glass or metal and transferring the wet image to paper by hand or with a press.
Mural
A painting executed directly on a wall, ceiling, or other permanent architectural surface.
N
Neo-Classicism
A style modeled after the balance, restraint, and ideals of ancient Greek and Roman art and architecture.
New Wave
A late twentieth-century movement combining elements of cartooning, graffiti, and performance art in a minimalist and intentionally unsophisticated style.
Numbered Edition
A print identified by its individual number within a limited edition. For example, 12/500 indicates the twelfth print in an edition of five hundred impressions.
O
Offset Lithograph
A photo-mechanical printing process in which an image is transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket before being printed onto paper.
Oil Paint
Paint created by mixing pigments with drying oils to produce rich color, depth, and durability.
Op Art
A style emphasizing geometric abstraction and optical illusions through carefully arranged patterns and contrasting forms.
Open Edition
A print produced without a predetermined edition size. Open edition prints may be signed or unsigned and can be reproduced indefinitely.
Original
A one-of-a-kind work of art created directly by the artist rather than reproduced from another image.
Original Print
A print in which the artist personally conceived the image, prepared the printing surface, and participated in the printing process.
P
Painting
A work of art created by applying paint to a surface such as canvas, wood, or paper.
Palette
The range of colors characteristic of an artist, painting, or artistic style.
Pastel
A drawing and painting medium composed of pure pigment bound into sticks. Pastels produce rich color directly on paper without the use of liquid paint.
Patina
The natural or chemically produced surface coloration that develops on bronze and other metals over time.
Pencil
A drawing instrument made of graphite, colored pigment, or other materials enclosed in wood or another protective casing.
Perspective
A method of representing three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface through the use of vanishing points, scale, and atmospheric effects.
Pigment
Dry coloring material that is mixed with a binder or medium to produce paint, ink, or other artistic materials.
Pinx.
From the Latin pinxit, meaning "he or she painted it." Commonly placed beside an artist's signature.
Pochoir
A refined stencil-printing process used to create richly colored limited editions and fine art illustrations through careful hand application of color.
Pointillism
A branch of French Impressionism in which tiny dots or strokes of pure color are applied so that the viewer's eye blends them into complete forms when viewed from a distance.
Polytych
A painting or altarpiece consisting of three or more connected panels.
Pop Art
An American art movement that emerged during the 1950s and drew inspiration from advertising, mass media, and popular culture.
Portrait
A work of art depicting the likeness of an individual, often emphasizing the face and expression.
Postmodernism
A movement in art, literature, and architecture that reacted against Modernism by reintroducing historical references, irony, and diverse visual styles.
Presentation Proof
A print produced outside the numbered edition and dedicated by the artist as a presentation or gift.
An image produced by transferring ink from a prepared surface onto paper or another material.
Printer's Proof
Also known as a B.A.T. print, an impression retained by the master printer outside the numbered edition.
Progressive Proofs
Proof impressions that document the different stages of development during the printing process.
Provenance
The documented history of ownership of a work of art, tracing its journey from the artist to its current owner.
Q
Quattrocento
The Italian Renaissance period of the fifteenth century, especially as it relates to art and literature.
R
Rabbet
The recessed groove inside a frame that holds the artwork, mat, glass, and backing board securely in place.
Remarque
A small original drawing or symbol added by the artist, usually near the signature, making the print especially desirable to collectors.
Renaissance
The period of European cultural rebirth spanning the fourteenth through seventeenth centuries, marked by renewed interest in classical art, science, and humanism.
Repoussoir
A compositional technique that creates depth by placing a large object or figure prominently in the foreground.
Restrike
A new edition printed from an original plate after the plate has been reworked or reused.
Representation
A visual or physical rendering of a person, object, or concept.
Rococo
An eighteenth-century French style characterized by elaborate decoration, graceful curves, and asymmetrical ornamentation.
Romanticism
A movement in art and literature that emphasized emotion, imagination, and the beauty and power of nature.
Scratch
A line or depression carved or incised into a surface.
Semblance
A visual likeness or graphic representation of a person or object.
S
Serigraph
A fine art print created using the silkscreen process. Ink is pushed through a mesh screen with selected areas blocked to create the image. Each color requires a separate screen, making serigraphy a highly skilled and labor-intensive printing method.
Serilith
A printmaking process that combines traditional lithography with serigraphy to achieve enhanced color and detail.
Sfumato
A painting technique that creates soft, smoky transitions between colors and tones, eliminating harsh outlines. Leonardo da Vinci famously employed this technique.
Sgraffito
A decorative technique in which the top layer of paint or plaster is scratched away to reveal the layer beneath.
Sketch
A preliminary drawing used to develop ideas before creating a finished work of art.
Signature
The artist's handwritten signature, usually in pencil, appearing on an original work or limited-edition print.
Signed Only
A print signed by the artist but not individually numbered. Often associated with open editions.
Signed & Numbered
A limited-edition print bearing both the artist's signature and its edition number.
Second Edition
A later edition of the same image, altered in some way such as paper, color, or printing method.
Second State
A proof or print showing significant changes from an earlier version of the printing plate.
Sold Out
A limited edition that is no longer available directly from the publisher and is only obtainable through the secondary market.
Still Life
A work of art depicting inanimate objects such as flowers, fruit, bottles, books, or other arranged items.
Stipple
A technique of creating tone and texture by applying numerous small dots of paint or ink.
Stone Lithograph
A traditional lithographic process in which an artist draws directly onto limestone with a greasy medium before printing from the prepared stone.
Surrealism
An artistic movement exploring dreams, the subconscious, and imaginative imagery beyond everyday reality.
Synthetism
A style of French painting characterized by bold areas of flat color and symbolic rather than realistic representation.
T
Tirage
Documentation accompanying a print edition that records information such as edition size, printing technique, printer, and year of production.
Triptych
A painting, carving, or altarpiece consisting of three connected panels.
Trompe-l'œil
French for "deceive the eye." A highly realistic style of painting designed to create the illusion that painted objects exist in three-dimensional space.
V
Vignette
A small illustration or painting that appears to fade naturally into its surrounding background.
Virtue
Artistic excellence or quality.
W
Wash
A thin layer of diluted pigment or ink applied broadly across a surface, commonly used in watercolor and ink drawing.
Watercolor
A painting medium consisting of water-soluble pigments that produce transparent layers of color.
Work
The complete body of artwork created by an individual artist.