An Overview of the History of Matting

1980  Kyu-Baik Hwang Three Grinders  Color Mezzotint, printed in  New York Hwang, a Korean artist working in New York, is most noted for his unique, high-key mezzotints featuring traditional Oriental objects. Traditional modes in painting, architecture and music returned to popular and critical attention in the 1970’s.  Conservative styles coexisted with modernist works in an atmosphere of tolerance.  During the 1970’s and 80’s, many contemporary fine printmakers rediscovered the eighteenth century technique of mezzotint. The mat combines contemporary materials and style,  yet owes a debt to the nineteenth century use of marbled book-end papers ( see PFM, August 1993 ).  The frame style is turn-of-the-century American Impressionist, often referred to as ‘Hassam’ ( after Childe Hassam ), but finished in a highly aged, distressed manner, totally appropriate with this timeless image.

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