Original drypoint with direct gravure and spit bite aquatint printed in blue and black ink on Somerset wove paper. Artist's proof impression apart from the numbered edition of 20, annotated in pencil lower left. Sheet size: 54.0 x 77.5 cm (21 1/4 x 30 1/2 in) Image size: 30.5 x 56.5 cm (12 x 22 1/4 in)

Dark Hill River presents one of Thiebaud's most striking California landscapes: a sweeping blue river curves sinuously through darkened agricultural hills, with power lines and a solitary tree punctuating the broad terrain. The combination of drypoint, direct gravure, and spit-bite aquatint allows an exceptional range of tonal depth, from the luminous cobalt of the river to the densely hatched hillsides. Thiebaud's signature exaggerated perspective compresses the vast Sacramento Valley into a composition of almost vertiginous beauty. This is a mature work by one of America's most beloved realists, demonstrating the full scope of his printmaking mastery at a monumental scale.