Chiaroscuro Woodcut Printing
in 16th – 17th Century Italy
Technique in Relation to Artistic Style
Linda Stiber Morenus
John W. Kluge Staff Fellow, Library of Congress
Chiaroscuro woodcut prints ─ named from the Italian term for contrasting light and dark tones ─ emulate pen, wash, metal point, and chalk drawings of the period. They aimed at a similar graphic statement through layers of colored inks. An appreciation for the characteristics of these colored printing inks, and how the Italian chiaroscuro woodcut process was manipulated, are keys to our historical and aesthetic interpretation of these works.
In her illustrated talk, Morenus will present research that contributes to the establishment of a signature of style, materials, and methods for the Italian printmakers in the study. Her research relies on information gained through the examination of Italian chiaroscuro woodcuts with a light microscope, experimentation with making model chiaroscuro prints and colored inks, and the comparison of these re-creations to historic prints ─ an entirely novel approach within the field of paper conservation and print scholarship.
October 1, 2009 4:00 pm. Reception to follow at 5:00 pm.
Library of Congress, Jefferson Building
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