E.172 SP (with hand) 2012–13 2012; reworked 2013 and 2014

• I. 1st state of 13, 2012

  

  Drypoint. A head and shoulders self portrait, with beard and moustache. Amor wears spectacles, and his proper left hand is raised and touching his forehead. Behind him is a densely stocked bookshelf. A framing line runs around the perimeter, approximately 10 mm from the plate mark. The linear qualities of the drypoint are prominent.

  Impression with plate tone and rich burr, on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1-1’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’12’.

• II. 2nd state of 13, 2012

  The ear has been completed. Oblique hatching has been added to the left of the fingertips, and parallel shading added to the hand, extending into the little finger. The nose has been modelled with parallel shading and the crease of the left cheek has been darkened near the nostril. The sweater has been shaded with hatching at left and on the cuff. There are two variant impressions of this state.

  1. Selectively wiped impression, on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1-2’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’12’.
  2. Impression with plate tone but little burr, on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1-3’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’12’. Although inscribed ‘1-3’, this is an impression of the second state.

• III. 3rd state of 13, 2012

  

  The palm of the hand and the fingers have been redrawn and nails added. The modelling of the hand has been adjusted with the addition of more parallel hatching.

  Impression with light plate tone, on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1-4’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’12’. Although inscribed ‘1-4’, this is the third state.

• IV. 4th state of 13, 2012

  Several horizontal strokes have been added to the bookshelf at the far left and to the little finger. The inner left edge of the sweater has been strengthened. A row of oblique diagonal hatchings has been added to the left cheek. There are four variant impressions of this state.

  1. Impression with plate tone and rich, saturated burr, the left half of the face selectively wiped, on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1-5’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’12’. Although inscribed ‘1-5’, this is an impression of the fourth state.
  2. Selectively wiped impression with plate tone and rich burr, the right eye barely visible, on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1-6’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’12’. Although inscribed ‘1-6’, this is an impression of the fourth state.
  3. Impression with plate tone, on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘2-6’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’12’. Although inscribed ‘2-6’, this is an impression of the fourth state.
  4. Cleanly wiped impression on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘3-6’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’12’. Although inscribed ‘3-6’, this is an impression of the fourth state.

• IV.d. 4th state of 13, 2012

  

  Several horizontal strokes have been added to the bookshelf at the far left and to the little finger. The inner left edge of the sweater has been strengthened. A row of oblique diagonal hatchings has been added to the left cheek. There are four variant impressions of this state.

• V. 5th state of 13, 2013

  Reworked 28 February 2013. Much of the existing burr has been burnished down and the books in the upper background have been overlaid densely with new drypoint. There are four variant impressions of this state.

  1. Selectively wiped impression with plate tone left in the upper background and on the sleeve, on cream wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1-7’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’13’. Although inscribed ‘1-7’, this is an impression of the fifth state.
  2. Selectively wiped impression with plate tone left in the upper background and on the sleeve, on cream wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘2-7’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’13’. Although inscribed ‘2-7’, this is an impression of the fifth state.
  3. Selectively wiped impression with dark plate tone left in the upper background and on the sweater, on cream wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘3-7’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’13’. Although inscribed ‘3-7’, this is an impression of the fifth state.
  4. Dark, selectively wiped impression with prominent burr, on cream wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘4-7’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’13’. Although inscribed ‘4-7’, this is an impression of the fifth state.

• V.d. 5th state of 13, 2013

  

  Reworked 28 February 2013. Much of the existing burr has been burnished down and the books in the upper background have been overlaid densely with new drypoint. There are four variant impressions of this state.

• VI. 6th state of 13, 2013

  

  Reworked 25 May 2013. Much of the plate has again been burnished and new drypoint work outlines the main features. The bald top of the head has now been modelled with a mesh of cross-hatching. The white collar at left has been darkened with oblique hatching.

  Impression with faint plate tone, on wove BFK Rives paper with watermark, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1-8’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’13’. Although inscribed ‘1-8’, this is the sixth state.

• VII. 7th state of 13, 2013

  Drypoint accents have been added to areas of the head and face. Oblique hatching has been added around the uppermost fingertip, to the inside of the left eyebrow, around the left eye, and to the left end of the moustache. There are two variant impressions of this state.

  1. Impression with plate tone and rich burr, and with the margin wiped clean, on wove BFK Rives paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1-9’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’13’. Although inscribed ‘1-9’, this is an impression of the seventh state.
  2. Selectively wiped impression with plate tone, on wove BFK Rives paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1-10’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’13’. Although inscribed ‘1-10’, this is an impression of the seventh state.

• VII.b. 7th state of 13, 2013

  

  Drypoint accents have been added to areas of the head and face. Oblique hatching has been added around the uppermost fingertip, to the inside of the left eyebrow, around the left eye, and to the left end of the moustache. There are two variant impressions of this stat

• VIII. 8th state of 13, 2013

  The dark background has been extended downwards at the far left. A horizontal line has been added to the lower lip, and the left half of the face has been burnished; the left ear is now lower and its inside contour has been defined with a loose S-shaped curve. Several lines of oblique hatching have been added to the left eye.

  Selectively wiped and mottled impression, leaving the hand and the right half of the face in shadow, on wove BFK Rives paper with watermark, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1-11’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’13’. Although inscribed ‘1-11’, this is the eighth state.

• IX. 9th state of 13, 2013

  The left ear has been redefined and the contour of the left spectacle lens strengthened. There are three variant impressions of this state.

  1. Impression with plate tone, selectively wiped so as to leave a bright highlight on the collar at right, on wove BFK Rives paper with watermark, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1-12’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’13’. Although inscribed ‘1-12’, this is an impression of the ninth state.
  2. Impression on cream wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘2-12’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’13’. Although inscribed ‘2-12’, this is an impression of the ninth state.
  3. Impression with much plate tone and rich burr, selectively wiped so as to leave half-lights on the left side of the face and the right part of the collar, on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘3-12’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’13’. Although inscribed ‘3-12’, this is an impression of the ninth state.

• IX.a. 9th state of 13, 2013

  

  The left ear has been redefined and the contour of the left spectacle lens strengthened. There are three variant impressions of this state.

• X. 10th state of 13, 2013

  The inside of the right lens has been burnished. There are three variant impressions of this state.

  1. Selectively wiped impression with plate tone, on cream wove Somerset paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘Bon à tirer (1-13)’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’13’. This impression of the tenth state is also a bon à tirer impression and forms part of the first edition.
  2. Impression with plate tone, on cream wove Somerset paper with watermark, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘AP 1/2’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’13’.
  3. Impression with plate tone, on cream wove Somerset paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘AP 2/2’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’13’.

• First edition, 2013

  Edition of ten numbered impressions, on cream wove Somerset paper, printed by Rosalind Atkins at Kate Herd’s studio. The edition included a bon à tirer impression and two artist’s proofs (described under ‘X. 10th state of 13’, above). Each impression is inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘[1 through 10]/10’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’13’.

• Edition impression (first edition, 2013) (Featured Image)

  

  The inside of the right lens has been burnished.

• XI. 11th state of 13, 2014 (SP (with hand) 2014)

  The plate has been extensively burnished and redrawn in drypoint. The arm is no longer visible (though the curved outlines of the sleeve remain), the hand has been redrawn accordingly, and the right shoulder outlined clearly. The dark background has been redrawn with a series of long horizontal strokes. The white collar has been removed and the area under the face darkened with oblique strokes. The face now appears thinner and longer and its internal modelling is more tonal. More lines have been ruled around the perimeter of the image.

  Selectively wiped impression with light plate tone, on BFK Rives paper with watermark, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1-14’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’14’. Although inscribed ‘1-14’, this is the eleventh state.

• XII. 12th state of 13, 2014 (SP (with hand) 2014)

  More drypoint shading has been added to the fingers and around the knuckles. Burnishing has lightened the highlights at the outer corner of the left eye. There are two variant impressions of this state.

  1. Impression with plate tone and rich burr, selectively wiped so as to leave strong highlights on the left of the face, on cream wove Somerset paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1-15’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’14’. Although inscribed ‘1-15’, this is an impression of the twelfth state.
  2. Impression with plate tone and rich burr, selectively wiped so as to leave strong highlights on the left of the face, on buff wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1-16’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’14’. Although inscribed ‘1-16’, this is an impression of the twelfth state.

• XII.a. 12th state of 13, 2014 (SP (with hand) 2014)

  

  More drypoint shading has been added to the fingers and around the knuckles. Burnishing has lightened the highlights at the outer corner of the left eye. There are two variant impressions of this state.

• XIII. 13th and final state, 2014 (SP (with hand) 2014)

  The bridge of the spectacles has been burnished. 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: ‘1-17’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’14’. Although inscribed ‘1-17’, this is an impression of the thirteenth and final state.
  2. Selectively wiped impression with plate tone, on buff wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Alphington studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1-18’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’14’. Although inscribed ‘1-18’, this is an impression of the thirteenth and final state.

• XIII.a. 13th and final state, 2014 (SP (with hand) 2014)

  

  The bridge of the spectacles has been burnished. There are two variant impressions of this state.

• Second edition, 2014 (SP (with hand) 2014)

  Edition of ten numbered impressions, on buff wove Somerset paper, printed by Rosalind Atkins at Kate Herd’s studio. The edition was printed with a film of plate tone and selectively wiped. It included four artist’s proofs (three of them numbered, out of three, with Roman numerals, and one without numbering) and an hors commerce impression. Each impression is inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘[status of impression]’ [or] ‘[1 through 10]/10’; lower centre: ‘SP’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R Amor ’14’.

• Edition impression (second edition, 2014) (SP (with hand) 2014)

  

• Comment

  This self portrait was begun in late 2012, soon after Amor returned to Melbourne from a visit to New York. While there, he had seen the Museum of Modern Art’s exhibition New to the Print Collection: Matisse to Bourgeois, which included Käthe Kollwitz’s self portrait etching Self portrait with hand at the brow, 1910.

  Inspired by the Kollwitz rendering, Amor embarked on the present self portrait and worked on it through to 2014, keeping a record of the dates on which he initiated significant changes to the image. The self portrait is a pure drypoint; the only tools Amor used apart from the drypoint needle were a burnisher and a scraper (he used the latter to prepare the plate for its comprehensive reworking in 2014).

  After producing the first four states of the print (2012), Amor took a break, returning to the plate on 28 February of the following year and reworking the image extensively, stripping it of anecdotal details. He removed the background of books (a detail based on the large bookshelf that lines an entire wall in Amor’s house) because it ‘seemed too obvious’, and replaced it with a dark, unspecific background (state V). On 25 May 2013, he reworked the plate again, and took it through another five states (states VI through X) before having the print editioned for the first time.

  Other radical changes to the image were made after the first edition was published. Sometime after 28 April 2014, Amor returned to the plate; he altered the position of the hand and fingers and lengthened the head, making it occupy a greater amount of space and thus appear closer to the viewer. Finally, he shrouded the clothing in darkness. The focus was now entirely on the face and on the artist’s large left hand.

  There are no preparatory studies for the various renderings of this work; as with other Amor self portrait etchings, this one was begun in front of a mirror and scored directly onto the copper plate.