Mezzotint, from the Italian mezzotinto ('half tint'), brought the achievement of middle tones to intaglio printmaking. The mezzotint technique with its dark and rich tones was well suited to such subjects as portraits, interiors and night scenes. No one - neither 18th century professional mezzotinter nor artist - has employed the medium more aptly or more skillfully, especially for work in color. Ilsted found the mezzotint perfect for expressing tonal nuances and luminous highlights for his quiet interiors. And his artistry in varying the inking and printing of a mezzotint plate in colors to achieve diverse effects is extraordinary. The quietude and sobriety, the dappling of sunlight or lamp light over walls and furniture and floors, the tactile attraction of pretty fabrics and polished woods, the refinement of such elements create the same visual experience seen in Dutch painting.
His sister Ida Hammershoej, was married to Vilhelm Hammershøi (1864-1916) and she was the primary model for both artists
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Large selection of Danish porcelain & stoneware: tableware and figurines from Dahl Jensen, Bing and Grondahl, Royal Copenhagen, Quistgaard, Holmegaard and Lyngby
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