Untitled
1963
James Valerio American, born 1938
United States
James Valerio made this print while working over a plate that had been discarded by the Chicago commercial printer R. R. Donnelley and supplied to him by his teacher, Vera Berdich. He reworked the original plate depicting an old house, which appeared bug-infested, emphasizing the marginal images of insects. Berdich consistently offered Valerio hard but honest criticism, which kept him interested in returning to her class. In addition, later in life, she continued to provide verbal support and encouragement for his art.
Photo-etching, aquatint, lift ground and etching, from two plates, in black on ivory wove paper