Relief Printing by Michael Rothenstein (review)

Books 275 'antipathetic Fallacy' could be justified as a means of conveying the idea to the ignorant. The writers of this book could not reasonably be expected to be familiar with the rather sophisticated organic chemistry and physics involved in the process of lithographic printing but they could have consulted people having such knowledge. Thus, an organic chemist might be surprised by the unexplained presence of a manganate ion (as 'oleomanganate') resulting from the interaction of nitric acid, grease and gum arabic upon calcium carbonate. However it is sufficient that an insoluble soap does form in the pores of the stone to preserve the image for printing. The methods of reproduction of offset lithography is, of course, the most faithful means of reproducing lithographic originals. The choice of illustrations covers a wide field from Toulouse Lautrec, Odilon Redon, Munch, Klee to those available in the current market from the wit ofSaul Steinberg to contemporary American folklore, to German polite-erotic, to English rudery, to the magnificent colour accents of Sam Francis. For the use of collectors, the addition of dates and dimensions might have added to the value of the book. The Technique of Fine Art Lithography can be recommended without reserve to students and artists wishing to practice this craft and it should prove an invaluable and reliable workshop guide even to the most experienced lithographer. Relief Printing. Michael Rothenstein. WatsonGuptill , New York, 1970. 224 pp., iIlus. $15.00. Reviewed by: Ruth Faerber* 'When a given method fails to respond to the call of evolutionary change, the current of a living art form is diverted and starts flowing through another and more suitable channel.' This is an excerpt from the foreword of the author to his third and largest book, and forms the main tenet of his philosophical approach as an artist. The book confirms his position as the dominant, creative British influence on methods of relief printing. He also examines the remarkable scope of new experimental processes in other printmaking fields that have been developed by innovators outside Britain. However, of prime importance is the fact that this is the first comprehensive assessment to squarelyconfrontthe situation of the involvement of contemporary artist-printmakers with photo-technology and to consider aesthetic, practical and philosophical angles. The historical background ofreliefblock printing is outlined and known facts and methods are traced up to the present hybrid process involving the entirely new phenomenon of photo-aids for printmaking . This perspective, linking printmaking with the art of collage and assemblage, is the point of encounter between the hand-drawn mark and the mechanical statement. His account of the enormous potential of photo- * 69 Headland Road, Castle Cove 2069 N.S.W., Australia. technology is important for both artist and teacher because it bridges basic concepts with latest develop~ ments and provides supporting illustrations and practical documentation. However, the awareness Rothenstein awakens for the potentials of technique is not limited only to ingenious practical manipulation . He engenders a sense of adventure by uncovering latent possibilities inherent in developing an image. Thus, relief printing, normally considered the most ponderous of printmaking techniques, gains extraordinary agility as a cross-fertilization between materials and ideas. The role ofthe teacher is emphasized. The teacher is encouraged to operate as an intermediary who activates a dialogue between print research and the pursuit of the values ofcolour, form and other visual aspects of a finished work. Correctly taught, printmaking can be an effective area for the confrontation of the fundamental questions of image-making, especially, in the confusion over the present 'cultural fallout' on painting and sculpture. Printmaking offers fewer choices and a firmer discipline of execution that frees creativity but limits the confusing directions that often frustrate a sensitive student. The chapter that inspired me most is the one devoted to detailed descriptions of projects carried out at different colleges of art in Britain using the photographic technique. Photo-stencils and lithographic transfer methods for making repeated structures and large scaleprints are clearlydescribed. Here one finds a new generation of printmakers being trained to integrate these techniques with older ones without self-consciousness. A rapport is established between eye and camera lens, bringing vital, fresh images in its wake...