Fred Williams (1927–82)

(left image) “Standing Figure”, 1958

(right image) Williams’ 1960–1 painting based on the etching

Etching with foul biting, engraving and drypoint on a zinc plate printed on Kent paper.

Size: (plate) 19.1 x 13.6 cm; (sheet) 25.2 x 19 cm

Proof impression, lettered “P.” from state ii (of ii). (Note: Mollison does not describe this proof impression lettered “P.” in his catalogue raisonné.)

Mollison 121 (ii?) (reproduced in plate 38)

Condition: richly inked, strong impression in good condition but with remnants of mounting tape (verso), signed by the artist in pencil (lower right) and with the proof letter “P.” (lower left).

I am selling this exceptionally rare proof impression for AU$4000 AUD (currently US$2914.10/EUR2582.28/GBP2006.74 at the time of posting this print) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world. If you are interested in purchasing this original etching by one of Australia’s most famous artists, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This is one of those prints that is almost a piece of low relief sculpture. Williams must have been very careful when he wiped the plate in preparation for printing it, as he has left only the finest trace of plate-tone (i.e. surface ink) on the “raised” areas portraying the figure while simultaneously retaining a velvety black in the deeply worked intaglio areas portraying the figure’s background. Beyond the skill of wiping the plate and printing this impression, this print has another attribute that makes it remarkable: the way that Williams has scored the dark background so that it is seems visually alive with movement.