Berto Lardera Italian-French, 1911-1989

About the Work

Humain Sur-Humain (Human Superhuman) is an etching created in 1959 by Roberto (Berto) Lardera. Although primarily known as a sculptor, Lardera produced a significant collection of monumental works using rough-cut, thick metal planes to form jagged, abstract figures. For this etching, he utilized a similar approach by cutting thick iron plates into two-dimensional intaglio shapes. He then pulled the etching using a mixture of oxblood and navy aquatint combined with metalized carborundum. The result is a "sculptural" print that effectively replicates the appearance of the artist's patinated steel sculptures on paper.

This work was printed on Arches wove paper by the renowned gravure specialist Atelier Lacourière-Frélaut in Paris, although the publisher remains unknown. The etching has been restored by a professional from the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) to restore the original brightness of the Arches paper. For more information, please contact the gallery.