Malcolm Osborne was born in Frome, Somerset. He studied at Bristol School of Art and the Royal College of Art, London, under Sir Frank Short; when Short retired in 1924 he succeeded him as head of the etching and engraving school. Osborne produced just over a hundred prints, including British and European land and townscapes, but it is for his portraiture that he is most highly regarded.

Further reading:
Kenneth Guichard, British Etchers 1850 - 1940, Robin Garton, London, 1977

Glossary

  • Engraving

    An intaglio process whereby lines are cut into a metal or wood plate using an engraving tool (a burin), which is pushed in front of the hand to achieve a sharp controlled incision capable of great delicacy. This technique requires a great deal of control and is not suited to spontaneous mark-making.

  • Etching

    An intaglio process whereby a metal plate (normally copper, zinc or steel) is covered with an acid-resistant layer of rosin mixed with wax. With a sharp point, the artist draws through this ground to reveal the plate beneath. The plate is then placed in an acid bath (a water and acid solution) and the acid bites into the metal plate where the drawn lines have exposed it. The waxy ground is cleaned off and the plate is covered in ink and then wiped clean, so that ink is retained only in the etched lines. The plate can then be printed through an etching press. The strength of the etched lines depends on the length of time the plate is left in the acid bath.

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  • Art Project