An artist's proof is a print pulled outside the numbered edition, traditionally reserved for the artist. From Picasso and Mourlot to today's 10 percent rule, learn how APs work.
When Pablo Picasso walked into the Mourlot printing studio in Paris in the 1940s, he did not just approve a design and leave. He stood at the press alongside the master printer Fernand Mourlot, examining each impression as it came off the stone. He pulled trial proofs to test colors, adjusted the inking, tried different papers, and marked up impressions with annotations about what to change. Only when he was satisfied did the full edition go to press. Alongside the numbered edition, a small number of impressions were set aside for Picasso himself. These were marked "AP" or "E.A." for "Epreuve d'Artiste," the French term for artist's proof. They were not numbered. They were not included in the edition count. They were Picasso's personal copies, and today they often sell for more than the numbered impressions.
An artist's proof is a print pulled outside the regular numbered edition, reserved for the artist's own use. The designation is marked "AP" (English) or "E.A." or "E.A." (French, short for "Epreuve d'Artiste") on the print, usually in pencil alongside the artist's signature. Artist's proofs are identical to the numbered impressions in the edition. They are not numbered within the edition sequence. A print marked "AP 3/7" is the third artist's proof in a set of seven proofs, separate from the main edition of, say, 50.
This entry covers what an artist's proof is, where the practice came from, how APs relate to the numbered edition, why collectors value them, and what standards govern them today.
An artist's proof is an impression from the same matrix as the numbered edition, set aside for the artist. The practice has its roots in the physical realities of traditional printmaking. In etching, lithography, and woodcut, the matrix wears down slightly with each impression. The first prints pulled are typically the sharpest, because the plate or stone has not yet begun to degrade. In the early days of printmaking, these first impressions were the highest quality, and the artist kept them.
As the Artmonious Art Advisory guide explains: "Artist Proofs are deeply rooted in the traditions of 19th and 20th century printmaking, especially in the workshops where artists like Picasso, Chagall, Miro, Matisse, and Dali collaborated closely with master printers." The proofs were working tools. The artist used them to check color, registration, and overall quality before approving the edition for full production. Read the guide at Artmonious.
With modern printing technology, the quality difference between early and late impressions has largely disappeared. A screen print or digital print produces identical impressions regardless of sequence. The Benz Gallery guide notes: "Now that printing technology has advanced, the quality of a print is no longer a concern. Each print in a giclee or off-set lithograph edition is identical. Today, Artist's Proofs are exactly the same as numbered copies of the print." Read the guide at Benz Gallery. The AP designation has become a convention rather than a quality indicator, but it retains its value because of scarcity and tradition.
The sequence of production matters for understanding what an AP is and is not. The Artmonious guide lays out the correct sequence: "The artist pulls trial proofs (not yet APs) to evaluate adjustments. Once the artist approves the final image, the master printer begins printing the official edition. Alongside this edition, a small percentage of prints, usually around 10 percent, are designated as Artist Proofs." So if an edition is 50, you might see five APs, each marked separately and never included in the numbering (1/50, 2/50, etc.).
Trial proofs and artist's proofs are not the same thing. Trial proofs, marked "TP," are pulled before the edition is approved. They may show visual variations, experiments in color, or slight tonal differences. Some collectors specifically seek out trial proofs because they reveal the artist's working process. Artist's proofs, by contrast, are pulled after the edition is approved, alongside the numbered impressions. They are usually identical to the numbered prints.
The BAT (bon a tirer, meaning "good to pull") is the final proof approved by the artist and printer before the main edition is printed. There is only one BAT per edition, and it is traditionally kept by the printer. The BAT is the reference standard against which all impressions in the edition are judged. Some collectors argue that the BAT is more prized than an AP because it is unique.
The standard practice is that artist's proofs should not exceed 10 percent of the numbered edition size. For an edition of 50, that means five APs. For an edition of 100, ten APs. The Artfolio numbering guide from 2025 states: "How many artist's proofs are ethical? Industry standard is less than or equal to 10 percent of the main run. Exceeding that raises red flags with serious buyers." The guide also warns that an AP count exceeding 15 percent is a sign of "artificial scarcity inflation" and advises buyers to "negotiate a price reduction or walk away." Read the guide at Artfolio.
In practice, the 10 percent rule is a guideline, not a law. Some publishers produce more APs than the standard suggests. The HENI Editions release of Brian Clarke's "Collage Screenprints" in July 2026 specified an edition of 50 plus 12 APs, which is 24 percent of the edition size, well above the 10 percent standard. Read the details at HENI Editions. The Fondation Beyeler's Pierre Huyghe "Liminal Still Print" from 2026 specified an edition of 50 plus 5 APs and 10 hors commerce copies, putting the APs at exactly 10 percent. Read the details at Fondation Beyeler Shop. The Prints on Paper Publications release of Drew Leventhal's "Tumbling" (2026) specified an edition of 16 with 3 artist's proofs and 1 BAT, putting the APs at 18.75 percent. Read the details at Prints on Paper.
Artist's proofs often sell for the same price as numbered impressions, and sometimes for more. The premium comes from three factors. First, scarcity: there are always fewer APs than numbered prints. If an edition is 50 with 5 APs, the APs are ten times scarcer than the numbered impressions. Second, provenance: APs were traditionally kept by the artist, gifted to friends, or given to collaborators. They carry a personal connection to the artist that numbered impressions sold through galleries do not. Third, tradition: the AP designation connects the print to the studio process, to the moment when the artist stood at the press and examined the impression.
The Artfolio guide advises: "Do not sell APs at lower prices than the main edition. They often command a premium." The Wildecherry guide adds: "Artist's Proofs may command a higher price per print than the standard edition, particularly when they are well-documented and carry additional authorial marks or inscriptions." Read the guide at Wildecherry.
Not everyone agrees that APs deserve a premium. The Benz Gallery guide notes that with modern printing technology, "Artist's Proofs are exactly the same as numbered copies of the print." The premium is based on tradition and scarcity, not on any physical difference in the print itself. For collectors who care about the print as an object, the AP may not be worth more. For collectors who care about provenance and the story of the print's production, the AP carries a narrative that the numbered impression does not.
Beyond artist's proofs, several other proof designations appear on prints. HC (hors commerce, meaning "not for sale") designates prints that are not intended for commercial sale. These may be used as exhibition copies or given to collaborators. They started appearing as extensions of editions in the late 1960s and may differ from the edition by being printed on a different paper or with a variant inking. PP (printer's proof) designates prints given to the printer as partial payment for their work. BAT (bon a tirer) is the single approved proof that serves as the standard for the edition. TP (trial proof) designates experimental impressions pulled before the edition is approved, which may show variations in color, composition, or technique.
The artist's proof is a subset of the edition, the broader concept of a fixed set of prints from a single matrix. It is connected to the printmaking techniques that produce editions: etching, lithography, screen printing, woodcut, and intaglio. The catalogue raisonne documents an artist's proofs alongside the numbered editions. For more on printmaking, read our post on printmaking 101 or our guide on building an art collection on a budget.
Artist's proofs appear in museum collections and on the market regularly. The Museum of Modern Art in New York holds APs from Picasso's Mourlot lithographs, identifiable by the "E.A." marking in pencil. The Tate holds APs from British printmakers like Howard Hodgkin and David Hockney. When viewing prints in a museum or gallery, look at the numbering: if the mark says "AP" or "E.A." instead of a fraction, you are looking at an artist's proof.
For more on the world of prints, read our entries on edition and etching, or explore our post on woodblock printing to learn more about how prints are made and why the proof tradition matters.
Discover other art terms you might be interested in
Aquatint is an etching technique that produces tonal areas using powdered resin and acid. From Goya's Caprichos to modern printmakers, learn how it works.
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An edition is a fixed set of identical prints pulled from a single plate, screen, or digital file. From Rembrandt to Ai Weiwei, learn how editions work and why numbering matters.
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