Holly Black's Global History of Printmaking Demystifies the Medium from 9th Century Asia to Digital Era

Holly Black's new book 'The Story of Printmaking: A Global History of Art' offers a comprehensive global survey of printed images, commissioned by Yale University Press to fill a gap in existing literature. The author, trained at London College of Printing, emphasizes practical understanding of techniques from monotypes to mezzotint. Beginning with ninth-century East Asian origins, the narrative spans Old Masters like Albrecht Dürer, who revolutionized print composition in 16th-century Europe, and Pablo Picasso, whose archive contains over 2,400 unique print designs. Picasso learned from master printers including French etcher Auguste Delâtre, influencing works like 'The Frugal Repast' (1904). The book highlights Robert Blackburn's Chelsea, New York workshop, established in the late 1940s and now part of the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, serving artists such as Faith Ringgold and Romare Bearden. Women's pivotal roles are detailed, from China's Empress Wu Zetian (624-705), who used printing technology to assert dominance, to 16th-century Flemish printmaker Volcxken Diericx, who co-ran the Antwerp publishing house Aux Quatre Vents. Tatyana Grosman's Universal Limited Art Editions (ULAE), founded on Long Island in 1957, redirected Robert Rauschenberg's practice through works like 'Accident' (1963). Black defines a print as created by impressing one surface onto another to transfer a design, producible in multiples. The 272-page hardcover is priced at £25.