zincography
The printmaking technique of zincography is closely related to lithography, but in place of the cumbersome, costly lithographic stone, printmakers work on a zinc plate.
The use of tusche, a lithographic wash, often produced a distinct, grainy texture as a result of the oxidation of the zinc plate in the presence of water. This effect, known as peau de crapaud (toad skin), distinguishes a zincograph from the more common lithograph.
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Zincography in Brittany
The medium of zincography was favored by Paul Gauguin, Emile Bernard, and others working near the rural village of Pont-Aven in the late 1880s and early 1890s.
Because of the lack of professional printmaking facilities in Brittany, zincography provided a convenient and affordable alternative to traditional lithography.
Additionally, the unique graininess of the zincographic print suited the rough, primitive aesthetic extolled by the School of Pont-Aven.
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Experimental techniques
The artist Emile Bernard experimented intensely with printmaking, combining a variety of complicated techniques.
It is believed that for his religious imagery, he first carved his designs into a woodblock and then transferred the image to a zinc plate prior to printing.
This combination allowed Bernard the flexibility to make changes on the zincographic plate while still retaining the Medieval aesthetic of the woodcut.
Further reading
Caroline Boyle-Turner, The Prints of the Pont-Aven School: Gauguin and his Circle in Brittany, Lausanne 1986
Agnieszka Juszczak e.a., Paul Gauguin: The Breakthrough into Modernity, Amsterdam 2009
Dennis Delouche, Les Peintres de la Bretagne, Quimper 2012
