Giclee - pronounced “zhee-CLAY” - is French for “that which is sprayed”, which is an accurate way to describe fine art inkjet printing technology.
Pioneered by Robert Rauschenburg in 1997 at his Guggenheim exhibit, giclee prints by artists worldwide were soon displayed at museums including the Los Angeles Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, and the Louvre.
Giclee prints make fine art accessible to consumers who have a high appreciation for art, but do not have the resources to buy original artwork – which often starts in the thousand-dollar range. These prints are more accurate and easier to produce than lithographs. They also allow artists to print highly sensitive digital captures of their work long after the original has been sold.