E.037 The dog 1991; reworked 1999 and 2002

• I. 1st state of 10, 1991

  

  Etching. Standing at the end of a pier amid stormy seas is a dog facing left, his front right paw raised. Below him are wooden steps leading into the water. The subject is lightly etched and the sky is blank.

  Impression on cream wove BFK Rives paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘1 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’.

• II. 2nd state of 10, 1991

  

  The sky is now covered with fine etched cross-hatching, but a patch at the upper right has been burnished.

  Impression on cream wove BFK Rives paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘2 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’.

• III. 3rd state of 10, 1991

  Etching has been added extensively, to the dog, pier and water and to other areas of the plate. More burnishing has been applied at the upper right to extend the light tone in that area.

  Impression on cream wove BFK Rives paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘3 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’.

• IV. 4th state of 10, 1991

  The sea at the upper right has been lightly burnished to remove some small accidental etched marks.

  Impression on cream wove BFK Rives paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘4 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’.

• V. 5th state of 10, 1991

  Fine lines of hatching have been added throughout the sky, and to the sea below the pier at the centre left. There are seven variant impressions of this state. Impression V.g is extensively touched with pen and ink, in the sky and in many areas of the sea.

  1. Impression on cream wove BFK Rives paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘5 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’.
  2. Impression on cream wove BFK Rives paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘6 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’. Although inscribed ‘6’, this is an impression of the fifth state.
  3. Dark impression with much plate tone, on cream wove BFK Rives paper with watermark, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘7 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’. Although inscribed ‘7’, this is an impression of the fifth state.
  4. Cleanly wiped impression on cream wove BFK Rives paper with watermark, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘8 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’. Although inscribed ‘8’, this is an impression of the fifth state.
  5. Darker impression, with more plate tone in the sky and on the dog, on cream wove BFK Rives paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘9 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’. Although inscribed ‘9’, this is an impression of the fifth state.
  6. More cleanly wiped impression on cream wove BFK Rives paper with watermark, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘10 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’. Although inscribed ‘10’, this is an impression of the fifth state.
  7. Impression on wove BFK Rives paper (according to Amor’s intaglio record books), printed, and extensively touched with pen and ink, by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘11 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’. Although inscribed ‘11’, this is an impression of the fifth state.

• V.a. 5th state of 10, 1991

  

  Fine lines of hatching have been added throughout the sky, and to the sea below the pier at the centre left. There are seven variant impressions of this state.

• V.g. 5th state of 10, 1991, extensively touched with pen and ink

  

  Impression V.g is extensively touched with pen and ink, in the sky and in many areas of the sea.

• VI. 6th state of 10, 1991

  The plate has been re-etched and the lines in the image are thicker throughout. The pen and ink revisions applied to impression V.g have now been incorporated into the plate, making the whole much darker. These revisions are most prominent in the sky and the waves.

  Impression on cream wove Stonehenge paper (according to Amor’s intaglio record books), printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘12 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’. Although inscribed ‘12’, this is the sixth state.

• VII. 7th state of 10, 1991

  More etched lines have been added to the sky so as to increase the stormy effect. There are five variant impressions of this state.

  1. Impression on cream wove Stonehenge paper (according to Amor’s intaglio record books), printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘13 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’. Although inscribed ‘13’, this is an impression of the seventh state.
  2. Dark, selectively wiped impression with light plate tone, on cream wove Stonehenge paper (according to Amor’s intaglio record books), printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘14 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor 91’. Although inscribed ‘14’, this is an impression of the seventh state.
  3. More cleanly wiped impression on cream wove Stonehenge paper (according to Amor’s intaglio record books), printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘15 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’. Although inscribed ‘15’, this is an impression of the seventh state.
  4. Selectively wiped impression on wove Arches paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘16 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’. Although inscribed ‘16’, this is an impression of the seventh state.
  5. Impression on wove Arches paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘17 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’. Although inscribed ‘17’, this is an impression of the seventh state.

• VII.a. 7th state of 10, 1991

  

  More etched lines have been added to the sky so as to increase the stormy effect. There are five variant impressions of this state.

• VIII. 8th state of 10, 1991

  Parts of the sky at the upper right and to the left of the dog have been burnished, but billowing clouds have been lightly etched into the burnished areas of sky. There are five variant impressions of this state.

  1. Dry, uneven impression on wove Arches paper with watermark, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘18 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’. Although inscribed ‘18’, this is an impression of the eighth state.
  2. Clear impression on wove Arches paper with watermark, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘19 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’. Although inscribed ‘19’, this is an impression of the eighth state.
  3. More cleanly wiped impression on wove Arches paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘20 [circled]’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’. Although inscribed ‘20’, this is an impression of the eighth state.
  4. Subtly and selectively wiped impression on wove Arches paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘AP I’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’.
  5. Very dark impression with plate tone extending to the plate mark, on wove Arches paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘AP III’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’.

• VIII.e. Artist’s proof of 8th state of 10, 1991

  

  Parts of the sky at the upper right and to the left of the dog have been burnished, but billowing clouds have been lightly etched into the burnished areas of sky. There are five variant impressions of this state.

• First edition, 1991

  Variable edition of ten numbered impressions, on wove paper, printed by Rick Amor in his Dunmoochin studio. Each impression is inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘[1 through 10]/10’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’91’. Amor’s intaglio record books indicate that ed. 4/10 was printed in sepia ink.

• IX. 9th state of 10, 1999

  The plate was reworked in February 1999, with the area around the dog’s muzzle burnished.

  Impression on wove paper, printed by Martin King at the Australian Print Workshop, Fitzroy (Melbourne). Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘Bon à tirer’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor 99’. This the ninth state is also a bon à tirer impression and forms part of the second edition.

• IX. 9th state of 10, 1999 (bon à tirer impression)

  

  The plate was reworked in February 1999, with the area around the dog’s muzzle burnished.

• Second edition, 1999

  Edition of ten numbered impressions, on wove Magnani 3030 310 gsm paper with watermark, printed by Martin King at the Australian Print Workshop, Fitzroy (Melbourne). The edition included a bon à tirer impression (described under ‘IX. 9th state of 10, 1999’, above) and two APW workshop proofs. Each impression is inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘[status of impression]’ [or] ‘[1 through 10]/10’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘Rick Amor ’99’. APW chop mark embossed in lower right corner.

  Edition sheet size: 280 x 380 mm

• X. 10th and final state, 2002 (Featured Image)

  

  The area around the dog’s muzzle has been further burnished.

  Impression on wove paper, printed by Doug Hails at the Baldessin Press, St Andrews. Inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: ‘AP’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R. Amor 02’.

• Third edition, 2002

  Edition of ten numbered impressions, on wove paper, printed by Doug Hails at the Baldessin Press, St Andrews. Each impression is inscribed in pencil, below the plate mark: lower left: ‘[1 through 10]/10’; lower centre: ‘The Dog’; lower right: signed and dated ‘R. Amor ’02’.

• Comment

  This etching is based on an earlier painting by Amor, The dog, 1989 (Short 2008). The motif of the dog in the painting is, in turn, based on a photograph by Eadweard Muybridge (1830–1904) of his dog, Dread, taken as part of Muybridge’s investigations into animal locomotion. For Amor, however, the dog is not a creature of scientific interest but an animal avatar, who stands in for the silent, watchful observer.

  As Amor explains:

  It [the motif of the dog] probably goes back to seeing Francis Bacon’s work. He did a wonderful picture of a dog based on Muybridge’s photographs. I was doing dogs before seeing it but in a minor way.

  I see the dog as being a figure of endurance. It watches things and things happen to it, but it cannot alter its fate. Yes … sort of dumb fate. It’s hard to put into words because it’s a visual thing with me. (Quoted in Catalano 1992, p. 5)

  In the year before he made this etching, Amor was invited by Grazia Gunn of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne (ACCA), to prepare an exhibition as part of a series titled The ACCA Wallpapers, which called for mural-sized drawings to be made on huge sheets of paper. The motifs of the dog, the runner and the sea all featured in Amor’s exhibition, which was acclaimed for its emotional power. The dog in the artist’s charcoal mural was different from the one that appears in E.037; however, its symbolic potency prefigured that of Amor’s later representations of the animal. A dog is also depicted in two relief prints of the period, albeit in different poses.

  Amor took the present etching through eight states, and many variant printings, before editioning it in 1991. There are no fewer than seven impressions of the fifth state, the seventh impression being extensively worked over, in pen and ink, with indications for major adjustments to be made to the plate. These changes were implemented in the sixth state, when the plate was re-etched, resulting in a darker image overall.

  In 1999, some eight years after printing the first edition of E.037, Amor returned to this work, clarifying the outline of the dog’s muzzle by burnishing around it; he then had a second edition printed, at the Australian Print Workshop. In 2002, he fine-tuned the muzzle area again with the burnisher before the third and final edition was printed, at the Baldessin Press.