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Curiosa

Marino Marini - "Il Greco" Aquatint Etching

Framed aquatint etching by Marino Marini titled Il Greco, showing abstract figures and a horse, signed lower right. - view 1
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Estimated value

$3,000 - $6,000

Rarity

Uncommon(5/10)

Type

Museum Object

Category

Prints & Posters

Brand

Labyrinth Florence

Era

1978

Origin

Italy

Artist / Creator

Marino Marini

Authenticity

Very High(85%)
113

MARINO MARINI - "IL GRECO" AQUATINT ETCHING: IDENTIFICATION

This is an original etching and aquatint on woven paper, featuring a distinct, debossed plate mark measuring inward from the mat opening. The composition depicts two highly stylized, angular figures flanking an abstracted equestrian form, executed with flat, textured zones of gray, ochre, and pale yellow characteristic of the aquatint process. The lower margin bears pencil annotations: the edition number "61/100" at the lower left and the signature "MARINO" in block capitals at the lower right. The accompanying exhibition label identifies the work as "Il Greco," printed in 1978 by Il Labirinto in Florence, and correlates to the Guastalla catalogue raisonné reference A208.

PRINT LINEAGE

During the late 1970s, Marino Marini continued his decades-long distillation of equestrian themes, stripping the horse and rider motifs that defined his postwar output down to minimal geometric planes. The pairing of etching and aquatint allowed Marini to replicate the porous, weathered surface ...
During the late 1970s, Marino Marini continued his decades-long distillation of equestrian themes, stripping the horse and rider motifs that defined his postwar output down to minimal geometric planes. The pairing of etching and aquatint allowed Marini to replicate the porous, weathered surface textures of his bronze and painted plaster sculptures on a two-dimensional sheet. Printed by Il Labirinto in Florence in 1978, this edition reflects the robust European print publishing market of the era, which enabled established modernists to distribute their mature graphic vocabularies to a systematized collector base.

COLLECTOR NOTES

1

The Guastalla catalogue raisonné (Guastalla A208) documents Marini's complete graphic output, tracking over 400 distinct print editions created between 1914 and his death in 1980.

2

Marini originally adopted the horse and rider motif in 1936 after observing the panic of peasants fleeing aerial bombardments on horseback in Northern Italy.

SCARCITY

Uncommon70-80%
CommonLegendary

Genuine antiques with fewer examples on the market. Named makers, documented provenance, or early production examples.

Typical Characteristics

  • Limited production
  • Named makers
  • Growing collector demand

Confidence Factors

  • Visible plate mark confirms intaglio printing technique rather than a flat photomechanical reproduction.
  • Pencil signature block aligns with Marini's established drafting style for graphic editions from the late 1970s.
  • Accompanied by a gallery label citing the exact Guastalla catalogue raisonné volume reference (A208).
How does authenticity detection work?

PRINT SPECIALIST'S TAKE

Museum-Trained Art Historian

Connoisseur

The clear visibility of printmaking artifacts (plate indentation, granular ink topography) combined with a specific formal catalogue raisonné reference provides robust diagnostic evidence for authenticity.

KEY EVIDENCE

  • 1Visible structural plate mark defining the intaglio image boundaries
  • 2Pencil signature 'MARINO' aligned at the lower right margin
  • 3Edition pencil numbering '61/100' at the lower left margin
  • 4Gallery label identifying specific catalogue reference Guastalla A208

UNCERTAINTIES

  • •Assessment restricted to areas visible through the frame's glazing; hinging techniques, sheet margins, and verso remain unexamined.

WHAT WOULD IMPROVE CERTAINTY

  • →Examine the artwork unframed to check for acid burn lines from previous matting
  • →Inspect the sheet under UV light to ensure no chemical fading or undocumented paper restoration exists
  • →Verify the presence of a papermaker's watermark, often from Italian mills like Fabriano, in the margin

CONDITION & GRADE

Very Good

Grading breakdown

Assessment is limited by the frame and glazing, but the visible paper shows no discoloration, the margins present a clean white tone, and the graphite annotations remain crisp with no smudging.

Condition

The visible image area appears free of foxing, pronounced mat burn, or planar distortion, with the ochre and yellow inks retaining their saturation beneath the framing glazing. The gilt step-profile frame displays minor surface wear and abrasions along the outer corners.

PRINT MARKET VALUATION

$3,000 - $6,000

Updated: May 11, 2026

Auction houses like Christie's and Sotheby's frequently record Marini editions from the 1970s; similar 100-edition aquatints typically achieve $1,500 to $3,500 at auction, though retail fine art gallery markups routinely reach the €7,200 ($7,800 USD) level documented on this exhibition label.

Who buys this

Collectors of post-war European modernism and enthusiasts of mid-century Italian sculpture who seek documented graphic works by major institutional names.

What increases value

  • •Documentation within the Guastalla catalogue raisonné
  • •Richness and preservation of the aquatint textures
  • •Absence of light fading or mat burn on the paper support

What lowers value

  • •Hidden condition issues such as foxing or acid damage from non-archival prior framing materials
  • •Fading of the delicate yellow and ochre tones due to prolonged UV light exposure

What makes top-tier examples

  • •Examples exhibiting particularly crisp, deep plate marks and high-contrast ink separation
  • •Sheets preserving full, untrimmed margins confirming the original publisher's paper format

Grade & condition

Evaluated primarily on paper structural integrity (lack of trimming or tears), the absence of biological foxing or chemical toning, and the preservation of ink saturation.

Rarity & demand

UncommonModerate demandModerate liquidity
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For informational purposes only, not a formal appraisal.

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