Bruno Barbey - Kuwait 1991 - Sold

Old process and technique for offset printing on Cromalin. Photo engraving made from photographer Bruno Barbey's original photo Professional manual proofing, done individually and used exclusively for validation and staining. This unpublished Cromalin-type photogravure evidence was found in the home of a former fine art photographer in the depths of an assembly workshop, preciously preserved in a flat envelope and protected from light. Although, from 2001, with its 21 years old, it has remained in a good state of preservation. On the back there are traces of dirt from the manipulations of the printer. In contrast, the front is intact, in excellent condition and of remarkable brilliance. This once unique style of proofing from a traditional old-fashioned fine art print era has now completely disappeared and is being replaced by fully digital. The colors of these manual proofs of yesteryear, individually performed by professionals, were more beautiful, richer and incredibly brilliant, they have become rare, identical to a photograph. These old manual proofs are no longer used today, they were used once when photography was an art and not an industry. It should be remembered that at that time the usual average time to complete a photo engraving ranged from a few days to several weeks in order to get a faithful reproduction as close as possible to the artist's original photo, with many round trips. the client and the photographer. This beautiful hard-to-find proof is a treasure trove of old-fashioned printing techniques that are now gone. Now part of the history and heritage of the printing press of yesteryear.