Still Life with Watermelon 

Yōzō Hamaguchi created this print, “Still Life with Watermelon,” using the mezzotint technique. Mezzotint is an intaglio printmaking process, meaning the image is incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed. But unlike etching or engraving, mezzotint begins with roughening the entire plate with a tool called a rocker. This creates a burr that, if printed at this stage, would produce a solid black field. The artist then works back into the plate with scrapers and burnishers to create lighter tones and highlights. Hamaguchi’s mastery of this labor-intensive process is evident in the print’s velvety blacks and subtle gradations of tone. The composition is simple, but the textures he coaxes from the metal plate give the image a rich, almost tactile quality. This elevation of craft, transforming a humble still life into a showcase of technical virtuosity, challenges traditional notions of artistic value.