Jan Montyn - Large UNICA (1/3) relief Etching/aquatint "takara Patpong" - Galerie Petit 600€

• For decades, Montyn has been sketching and watercoloring all his impressions while traveling and, upon returning home, incorporates them into series of etchings that he exhibits with increasing success all over the world. He developed his own unique style and color palette, which makes him a popular and much collected artist to this day.

Montyn's work started out quite figurative, but from the 1960s onwards he increasingly stylized his work into his own more abstract visual language.
Initially he makes etchings in black ink, later he uses more and more color in his work.
Montyn always etches himself in small editions and alternates between techniques: drypoint, aquatint and waist shower.
The recurring ocher tones in his work symbolize his connection with the earth.
His work can be seen in major museums such as the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and the Museum of Modern Art New York (MoMa). But also in the Bibliotheque National de France in Paris and many other leading museums.
Dirk Ayelt Kooiman wrote a novel based on Montyn's life in 1982, entitled “Montyn”.
His eventful life and oeuvre is the subject of many publications, but also films such as a documentary by Jan Louter from 2004: “Jan Montyn: love me or leave me”.
(source: Apunto)