Counter Lady

Monotypes are rare amongst Thiebaud’s printed work. Spanning the breadth of his primary genres— from still life and figures to cityscapes and landscapes—the prints were made in two concentrated efforts, first during 1977 and later in 1991. The 1977 prints, all oil-based, were created at Stanford University at the invitation of Nathan Oliveira [1928–2010], a friend and a professor of art there from 1964 to 1996. Oliveira championed, and to some extent popularized, the medium and its techniques from 1972 until the end of his life.
The present lot is an example from the later experimentation in 1991 while an artist-in-residence at Crown Point Press. Monotype offered the artist the opportunity to make his distinguishable mark, by brushing the ink directly on the printing surface. This particular period saw a new take on the process, which was introduced by fellow artist Wolf Kahn. This involves the use of a surface with a slight texture, such as sanded plastic, which ‘holds’ the watercolor in place, whilst still allowing the artist to move it around. Therefore, each plate is an original, producing only two to three prints: one strong, full ink pull and several weaker impressions, commonly referred to as ghost images. The present lot is a wonderful example of this technique as the effect is quite painterly, with some of the ink even overflowing the plate and into the margins.