Le Nid
1967
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
soft-ground etching
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1980.45.89
Art Historical Context
Mario Avati's "Le Nid," created in 1967, is a notable example of 20th-century printmaking held in the National Gallery of Art's Rosenwald Collection. This work, classified as a print, utilizes the medium of soft-ground etching, a technique that allows for distinctive textural effects. Soft-ground etching involves coating a metal plate with a pliable, wax-like ground that remains tacky. Artists can then draw on an overlaying sheet or press objects into the ground to create varied lines and patterns. When the plate is etched in acid and inked for printing, these impressions yield a rich, almost...