Konstantin Chmutin - prints and biography

Biography

Konstantin Chmutin (b. 1953, Leningrad) is a world-renowned master of the mezzotint, a demanding printmaking technique requiring immense patience and precision. After studying civil engineering, Chmutin dedicated himself to the visual arts, eventually becoming a Fellow of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers in London. His work is featured in over twenty public collections, including Stanford University and the Victoria & Albert Museum.

Chmutin transforms "humble" subjects—garlic, peppers, eggs, and seashells—into objects of profound visual drama. Through a meticulous process of rocking and scraping copper plates, he achieves a velvety, deep black tonality that serves as a stage for his surrealist explorations of balance and fragility. In works like Flight of the Sprouting Garlic, ordinary organic forms become metaphors for tension and resilience.

While his technical mastery of light and shadow mirrors the precision found in the botanical works of Jean Bardon, Chmutin’s compositions often lean toward a psychological, almost Mannerist wit. Collectors drawn to his dramatic use of chiaroscuro and "visual poetry" may find a similar technical intensity in the meticulously detailed prints of Art Werger. Furthermore, Chmutin’s ability to elevate everyday objects into the realm of the fantastic shares an affinity with the surrealist perspectives of Miguel Conde. By inviting viewers to look beyond surface simplicity, Chmutin discovers a world of complexity, ambiguity, and wonder.

For more information on the mezzotint process read our article:
History of the mezzotint