Term
Original print
A printed work in which the printmaking process is integral to the artwork, rather than merely reproducing another work.
- Category
- Term
- Index letter
- O
Understanding the term
In an original print, the plate or other matrix is developed with the final impression in mind. A work can exist in many examples and still be original. Signature and numbering are useful information but historically were not required in every period.
When Original print appears in a description, the term helps specify a work's form, status or history. Its precise meaning should always be read alongside information about material, technique, date and origin.
Specialist terminology is most useful when it can be supported. Signatures, labels, edition numbers, documentation and visible traces in the object can all help establish whether a term is accurate in a particular case.
Related entries
Continue through the glossary with terms from the same field.