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Les Matheron-1 by Camille Henrot Engraving
KM011494
In her early years, Camille Henrot watched her mother create engravings and print them using her own press. Now an artist herself, she has taken up this legacy and demonstrated her own mastery of etching and copperplate engraving techniques. Rereading her own history, she also revisits that of the museum, seeking out a small, intimate diptych in the French painting galleries, that of the Matherons painted by Nicolas Froment (late 15th century - early 16th century). It presents the portraits of the two spouses facing each other: the man has now been replaced by a double of his wife, who therefore appears twice, in two different versions of the same likeness and using two different engraving techniques: the woman on the left engraved with aquatint for a wash effect, the woman on the right engraved with etching to obtain a precise and energetic line. The two plates were printed on the same sheet to achieve the effect of a diptych.
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It was in our Chalcography workshop in Saint Denis, near Paris, under the expert guidance of its printers and engravers, that the artist chose two particular copper engraving techniques: sugar aquatint and line etching. The artist carried out numerous preliminary tests, exploring many plates before arriving at the final composition, combining spontaneity of gesture with precision. This approach gives each print a ritualistic dimension, where preparation is just as essential as execution. The artisans in the workshops are thus called upon to respect this freedom of gestural expression and to accompany the artist with attention, respecting his creative process. The inclusion of color was an integral part of the work's design. Very quickly, the artist chose to orient his palette towards bronze, punctuated with a touch of red. This subtle use of color creates a link between the two characters, reinforcing their coherence and establishing visual continuity between them.
Camille Henrot's practice largely unfolds in series, an aspect that echoes the very nature of engraving. This serial dimension is fully reflected in the work of the studios, where each proof and each preparatory plate contributes to the development of a coherent and thoughtful whole. Les Matheron - 1 thus combines rigor and freedom, method and spontaneity, offering a unique and deeply constructed vision of the work, where the assertive female presence embodies a contemporary reinterpretation of historical narrative.
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