Il Pescatore by Hokusai

Katsushika Hokusai's 'Il Pescatore' (1760-1849), a heliogravure by Pierre Brochet, signed and titled at the bottom left, bears the dry stamp of the Musée Claude Monet at the center. Measuring 24 x 35.5 cm for the image and 30 x 50 cm for the sheet, it originates from Pierre Brochet's atelier. Born in Auxerre in 1922, Brochet, from a wealthy family with artistic roots, pursued photography alongside his career as a landscape gardener. In the 1980s, photographers sought to distance themselves from industry standards, exploring historic methods like carbon, platinum, oil-based inks, gum bichromate, toning, and camera obscura. Brochet, an authority on early photographic processes, founded the Association for Ancient Photography and taught these techniques. His preference was for photogravure, where he excelled, enhancing works by renowned photographers with high-quality prints. In original aquatint or etching plates, manual cleaning and press pressure can alter the plates, making some prints more desirable to collectors.