About Print

More than other printmaking techniques, artists using the lithography medium still largely depend on access to a good master printer, and the development of the medium has been greatly influenced by when and where master printers have established their studios. Artists depend heavily on the technical help and expertise of masters like Fred Genis. Few printers have had the breadth and scope of his experience across several countries and with such a wide variety of artists.

To Genis, it is a measure of a printer’s success that lithographs by different artists, all printed by the one man, should look different from one another — “like the artist, not like the printer” — for it shows he has achieved his aim: to interpret exactly what the artist intended.

All the lithographs shown on this website are from Fred Genis’ collection of printer’s proofs.

It is usual practice for a printer to retain a proof of every edition he or she pulls, and this print is designated a “printer’s proof.” It is not a trial proof, but identical to the edition in every way, and it is given — and at times dedicated — to the printer by the artist, as a gesture of appreciation and acknowledgement. For a printer, these proofs are a record not just of a fact, but of discovery, achievement and comradeship.

Fred Genis always limited his editions. They ranged from 10 to no more than 99.

All prints are in good condition unless otherwise stated. Inscriptions are in pencil unless otherwise stated. Measurements are in centimetres, height before width, and refer to image or paper (sheet) size. Fred used the highest quality papers, including Arches, Chatham, Whatman, Fabriano, Italian, BFK Rives, Awagami, J. Green, Johannot and Stonehenge.

A Note on Printmaking Terms

P.P. (Printer’s Proof) — A proof identical to the numbered edition, retained by or gifted to the printer by the artist, in recognition of their collaboration.

A.P. (Artist’s Proof) — A proof outside the numbered edition, retained by the artist for their own use.

B.A.T. (Bon à Tirer) — French for “good to pull.” The single approved master proof, signed off by the artist, against which the printer matches every subsequent impression in the edition.

T.P. (Trial Proof) — An early pull taken during the printing process, used to test and refine the image before the edition is finalised. Not part of the numbered edition.

W.P. (Working Proof) — A proof taken and marked up during development of the image, often showing changes or annotations as the artist and printer work toward the final state.

H.C. (Hors Commerce) — French for “not for trade.” A proof set aside outside the numbered edition, typically used for exhibition or reference rather than sale.

Edition number (e.g. 12/50) — The first number is the individual print’s place in the printing sequence; the second is the total edition size.