Description
Black Cat – 1970s Aquatint and Etching – Fernando Mercado
Fernando Mercado (b. 1936, El Paso, Texas) studied at the San Francisco Art Institute and later worked as an illustrator for Boeing Aircraft Corporation. Alongside many fellow California artists, Mercado produced numerous Abstract Expressionist works during the 1960s and 1970s.
While Mercado’s larger works are mostly abstract, many of his smaller pieces—including ink drawing studies and this aquatint with etching (a medium that is rare for his works)—reveal that his abstraction was grounded in a solid mastery of traditional techniques.
This impression is the fifth from a small limited edition of ten. It is signed, dated 1974, and dedicated in 1978 to Mercado’s close friends, Dr. George and Christel Wittenstein. The image is in good condition, though the top and left sheet edges show tape marks on the margin.
Print Details
Medium: Aquatint and etching
Dimensions:
Paper: 8 × 6 in
Image: 5.5 × 4 in
Inscriptions: 5/10 / Mercado 74 / To my very good friend Geo & Christel Wittenstein – Fernando Mercado 3-21-78
Condition: Good – image clean; tape marks along top and left edge of margin; unframed
Provenance: Estate of Dr. George Jürgen Wittenstein
DisclaimerI have conducted thorough research to ensure the accuracy and authenticity of this painting to the best of my ability. However, it is sold as is, with no guarantees or warranties regarding its provenance or historical attribution.
Tags:
FernandoMercado, CaliforniaArtist, AmericanModernism, Cat, FelinePrint, SFAI, AmericanArtist, TexasArtist, ArtCollection, VintageArtwork, 1970s, ModernArtist, GeorgeWittenstein
Materials:
WovePaper, Etching, Aquatint, PencilSigned, Composition, FineArtPaper, Monochrome, EtchingInk, VintagePaper, Intaglio, Copperplate, OriginalPrint, 20thCenturyArt