Mario avati (1921-2009) merino black print on paper signed and dated 70 in pencil lower right (made in december 1970) titled and marked essay in pencil lower left in its neutral passepartout rare test proof for this mezzotint plate on copper measuring 217 x 218mm (image size) known in 6 states. our trial proof is one of the rare 7 prints from the 5th state annotated "essai". it is referenced in the artist's catalog raisonné at n°429 (p.74, mario avati 1968-1975) image dimensions: 21.7 x 21.8cm dimensions of the sheet: 46 x 36cm total dimensions with the mat: 50 x 40cm mario avati is a french painter and engraver born may 27, 1921 in monaco and died in paris february 26, 2009, active in paris. after studying at the école nationale des arts décoratifs in nice and as a student of édouard goerg at the école nationale supérieure des beaux-arts in paris, mario avati practiced, from 1947, all engraving techniques. at the end of the 1950s, he moved, almost exclusively, towards the noir manner, first in black, then from 1969, in colors. He contributed to relaunching this graphic technique as a medium of artistic expression in the 20th century, just like yozo hamaguchi and kiyoshi hasegawa. in 1980, the postal administration reproduced, on the occasion of stamp day, the engraving “letter to mélie”. mario avati was a member of the society of french painters-engravers and the national committee of french engraving. classically inspired, avati's work revolves almost exclusively around still life - fruits, flowers, staged objects - or animals, with a treatment of great geometric rigor and which does not lack, on occasion, a touch of humor and wit that we find even in the title. very admiring and inspired by the work of giorgio morandi, mario avati arranged and organized his engravings in a way reminiscent of the composition of the latter's paintings. exhibitions: -“stop collections. The engraved work of mario avati", center for engraving and printed images, belgium. -“tribute exhibition”, sagot gallery - le garrec, paris vi rewards: -1957: critics’ prize, paris -1969: gold medal at the first international graphic art exhibition in florence -1981: grand prix des arts of the city of paris -1997: engraving prize, portland art museum -1997: nahed ojjeh prize of the academy of fine arts since 2013, the "mario-avati engraving prize", worth $40,000, is an engraving prize awarded annually by the academy of fine arts. This piece has an attribution mark, i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity issues arising from misattribution