MASAI || Poen de Wijs

Poen de Wijs

Poen de Wijs (Dutch artist) 1948 - 2014
Masaai (Masai), 1994
stone lithograph in an edition of 75
30 x 50 cm.
signed and numbered
private collection

Lithography is one of the most beautiful techniques in which handwork and craftsmanship play a prime role. Drawings on a stone are made with greasy material such as crayon or ink. When prints are made, the wet stone is rolled in greasy printer’s ink; only the parts which have been drawn with greasy material absorb the greasy printer’s ink and are printed onto the paper. In order for this procedure to succeed, the stone has to be ground into a flat surface. There are artists who both draw and print themselves. However, the work of the stone printer being so complicated, the artist usually draws on the stone and leaves the printing to the specialised printer. Close co-operation is of the utmost importance. Poen de Wijs works at Steindruckerei Ernst Hanke (Ringgenberg, Switzerland). He makes the drawing directly on the stone. He is present when the print is made, decides on the colours and the sequence of the printing sessions. In between printing sessions he makes the necessary alterations on the stone. Ernst Hanke and his assistants prepare the stones, perform various chemical treatments, wet and dry the paper and operate the press. The printer Ernst Hanke is internationally renowned for the high quality of his prints and above all for his specialization in realistic art.
Poen de Wijs