Printmaking Nomenclature & Abbreviations

One of the great things about prints is that they often contain a lot of information about themselves printed right on the print, usually in the space just under the image. This usually includes the title, but also often the artist, publisher, place of publication, date of publication, and printmaker. The only problem is that sometimes the terms used to identify this information is abbreviated, written in a language other than English, or both. To help readers understand this information, I will list (alphabetically) some of the abbreviations and terms one can find on antique prints.

A.f.

Etched by

A.P.

Artist’s proof

Appresso

Published by

Apud

Published by

Aquaforti fecit, aquaforti, Aquaf., Aq.

Etched by

Aquatinta, aq:tinta

Aquatinted by

A.V.

Augusta Vindelicorum; that is, published in Augsburg, Germany

Bon à tirer, B.A.T.

Proof print for use by the printer

Caelavit, cael.

Engraved by

Chez

At the house of

Composuit

Drawn by, referring to drawing from which the engraver, lithographer, etc. worked

Cum privilegio

Privilege to publish from some authority

Delineavit, delin., delt., del.

Drawn by (cf. composuit)

Descripsit

Drawn by (cf. composuit)

Designavit, desig.

Drawn by (cf. composuit)

Dessiné

Drawn by (cf. composuit)

Direxit, direx.

Directed by (head of workshop)

Divulgavit, divulg.

Published by

Dressé

Drawn by (cf. composuit)

Écrit

Written by (lettering)

Effigiavit, effig.

Drawn by (cf. composuit)

Engd., Eng.

Engraved by

Épreuve d’Artiste, E.A.

Artist’s proof

Ex coll.

From the collection of

Excudit, excud., exct., exc.

Printed by or published by

Ex Officina

From the workshop of

Ex Typis

From the printing house of

Faciebat, fac.

Made by

Fecit, fec., f.

Made by

Figuravit, fig.

Drawn by (usually after an original painting)

Formis

At the press of

Gezeichnet, gez.

Drawn by (cf. composuit)

Gravé

Engraved by

Gravire

Engraving

Hors Commerce, H.C.

Not for sale

Impressit, imp.

Printed by

Incidit, incidebat, incid., inc.

Engraved by

Inventor, invenit, invt., inv., in.

Designed by (the original work)

Lithog., litho., lith.

Lithographed by (either drawn on stone a publisher)

On stone by

Drawn on lithographic stone by

Par

By

Pinxit, pins., pictor, ping.

Painted by (the original work)

Scripsit, scrip.

Engraved text

Sculpsit, sculpt., sculp., sc.

Engraved by

Sumptibus

At the expense of

Zusammengetragen

Compiled by