E.096 Self portrait (small) 1995

• I. 1st state of 5

  

  Etching. A small frontal self portrait, showing the head of the artist and part of his shoulders; his shirt collar is open. Amor looks straight ahead, over his half-rim glasses. Some details, such as the outline of the ear at left, are incomplete.

  Impression on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’95’.

• II. 2nd state of 5

  The outline of the ear at left has been completed, and the top of the head has been lowered fractionally and is now delineated with a thin, broken contour. The background around the head has been lightly burnished.

  Impression on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘2 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’95’.

• III. 3rd state of 5

  The right ear has been better defined. There are two variant impressions of this state.

  1. Selectively wiped impression with plate tone, on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘3 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’95’.
  2. Impression with faint plate tone, on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘4 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’95’. Although inscribed ‘4’, this is an impression of the third state.

• III.a. 3rd state of 5

  

  The right ear has been better defined. There are two variant impressions of this state.

• IV. 4th state of 5

  The plate has been re-etched and the lines are now uniformly thicker; the effect of the whole is therefore darker. The face, brow and head have received more shading, and the sweater has been made darker. The background at the right has received additional etching and is now darker than the left background. There are two variant impressions of this state.

  1. Impression on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘5 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’95’. Although inscribed ‘5’, this is an impression of the fourth state.
  2. Dark, selectively wiped impression with plate tone, on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘6 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’95’. The plate tone creates the effect of a face gazing out from darkness. Although inscribed ‘6’, this is an impression of the fourth state.

• IV.a. 4th state of 5

  

  The plate has been re-etched and the lines are now uniformly thicker; the effect of the whole is therefore darker. The face, brow and head have received more shading, and the sweater has been made darker. The background at the right has received additional etching and is now darker than the left background. There are two variant impressions of this state.

• V. 5th and final state

  The nose has received added shading, making it appear more bulbous. Some of the shading on the cheeks has been burnished away. There are four variant impressions of this state.

  1. Impression on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘7 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’95’. Although inscribed ‘7’, this is an impression of the fifth and final state. (Featured Image)
  2. Impression with dark plate tone, on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘8 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’95’. Although inscribed ‘8’, this is an impression of the fifth and final state.
  3. Cleanly wiped impression on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘9 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’95’. Although inscribed ‘9’, this is an impression of the fifth and final state.
  4. Impression with dark plate tone, on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘10 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’95’. Although inscribed ‘10’, this is an impression of the fifth and final state.

• V.a. 5th and final state (Featured Image)

  

  The nose has received added shading, making it appear more bulbous. Some of the shading on the cheeks has been burnished away. There are four variant impressions of this state.

• Edition, 1995

  Variable edition of ten numbered impressions, on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. The edition included a bon à tirer impression and four artist’s proofs (AP I through AP IV). Each impression is inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘[status of impression]’ [or] ‘[1 through 10]/10’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’95’.

  Edition sheet size: 380 x 280 mm

• Comment

  This is one of two intaglio self portraits started and completed in 1995, the other being a drypoint (cat. no. E.091). Both self portraits were drawn in front of a mirror, directly onto the copper plate. Amor decided on the miniature dimensions of E.096 as a deliberate exercise in picture making on a small scale; at the same time, this print was a conscious emulation of Rembrandt’s small self portrait etchings.

  In taking E.096 through its five states, Amor continued his experimentation with plate tone and wiping, and this extended to the edition. The edition impressions vary conspicuously in their tonal depth: they range from impressions that are cleanly wiped to those that are printed with heavy plate tone.

  The verso of the copper plate on which E.096 was made carries a cancelled etching depicting Meg Williams; this was never printed.