From "Le tir à l'arc" Possibly 1960

This intriguing print by Georges Braque, from the series "Le tir à l'arc," uses the cyanotype process, a photographic printing technique that yields a distinctive Prussian blue. Braque, better known for Cubist paintings, here engages a process that lies closer to craft. This image was achieved by placing objects—in this case, stencils that form abstract shapes—onto paper treated with light-sensitive chemicals. When exposed to ultraviolet light, the paper turns blue, except where the objects block the light. The resulting print is both immediate and ethereal, the deep blue contrasting with the stark white of the protected areas. What makes this interesting is the relationship between chance and control. While the cyanotype process is relatively simple, its results can be unpredictable, affected by variations in light exposure and chemical reaction. This echoes Braque's broader engagement with materiality, and invites us to reconsider how we assign value to different kinds of making.