In my opinion John Olsen is an artist who has done some of his best work in the printmaking and watercolour mediums. Some of Olsen's watercolours rival and possibly outshine his paintings at showing off his spindly calligraphic line. Olsen's etchings and lithographs are some of the most distinctive prints ever made in Australia. Most are instantly identifiable as his work but the diversity he displays even while exploring similar themes is phenomenal. Both Olsen's series exploring the life of 'Frogs' and 'Cats' abound in iconic imagery. Lastly I would add that there has been a high level of consistency in the quality of Olsen's prints over the last 50 years. A great reference is 'John Olsen - His Complete Graphics 1957-2005' by Ken McGregor. Published by Macmillan.

Posted in: Collecting Art