By the terms wood engraving, copperplate engraving, lithography, the three main types of engraving, we define the method of engraving and the prints on paper resulting from this engraving.

Engravings are the works resulting from the printing of the surfaces of woods, bronzes and stones, which the engraver has previously treated by the appropriate technical processes in order to make them suitable and ready for printing.

Each engraving has the possibility of existing in more than one copy depending on the strength of the engraving and the discretion of the artist, remaining a prototype work since it results from prototype dies.

Each design engraved on the dies is printed in reverse on the printing surface.

Each engraving is released in a limited number of copies marked on each copy with a fraction (the denominator indicates the full number of the series while the numerator indicates the serial number of the specific copy) that accompanies the artist’s signature.

A small number of copies are designated as Epreuve d’Artiste (E.A.) or Prova di Stampa (P.S.) or Prova d’ Autore (P.A.) or Prova d’ Autore (P.A.) or Artistic Essay (A.D.)

The artist has the right to re-circulate a print when it is out of print (if it is no longer on the market). In this case, he changes the work in some way (e.g. he varies its original colours or adds some element to the engraving of the matrix) and markets it with a Latin or, more rarely, ancient Greek numbering. I/XX, II/XX, III/XXXX ….’to XXX/XX A/K, B/K C/K to K/K

The market value of an engraving in the art trade – in addition to the other factors that determine the price of other types of art – is also determined by its rarity (the number of copies in circulation). It should be said here that artists often number their copies with a large numbering fraction without always performing all the printing of the numbering in order to keep prices within reach.