Artwork
Portrait of Catherine Sauvage
Portrait of Catherine Sauvage is a print by Jaume Estapà. It dates from 1968 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Here’s a fresh try:
This is a portrait of French singer Catherine Sauvage made in 1968. The artist, Jaume Estapà, used only the letters M, O, and * to build it.
The work is an early example of ASCII art. Estapà layered symbols to create light and dark areas, even though early printers couldn’t show images.
Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
This 1968 portrait of French singer Catherine Sauvage is a pioneering work of ASCII art, created by Jaume Estapà using the characters M, O, and *.
Technique & Style
Estapà achieved varying shades by layering the characters, a technique made necessary by early printers' inability to print graphic images. The work's striped background reflects the design of early computer printing paper.
History & Provenance
The portrait was produced using an impact printer, likely a daisy wheel printer, which printed characters by striking a raised typeface against a ribbon.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jaume Estapà made expressive prints of well-known faces in the late 1960s. His 1968 portrait of Catherine Sauvage catches the French singer’s sharp gaze, while his 1969 portrait of Serge Reggiani shows the actor’s quiet…
