Sunday 13 February 2011

Arie Zonneveld (I)


Arie Zonneveld
(1905-1941)


Dutch linoleum and woodcut printer

Spring is in the air !


Arie’s blossoming tree printings.


The opening print showing one of the first signs of spring in Low Land Countries. Coltsfoot often flowering as soon as in Februari, here underneath typical Dutch pollard willows scenery.

I think this must have been a popular print because the first one showing considarable wear of the block comparing it with the one on the left.


Last year, through the wonderful and excellent Blogs of Clive (Art and the Aesthete) and Lily (Japonisme) I revealed a cross section of Dutch Arie Zonneveld’s printed art to you. Comparisons were made with great and famous printers: Frances Hammel Gearhardt (1869-1959) and William Seltzer Rice (1873-1963). I think Gustave Baumann (1881-1971) and Pedro de Lemos (1882-1945) should be added to the list (see below for linking to these posts). Baumann the grand and true master of printing blossoming trees.



There was a shared amazement concerning quality and originality of this remarkable but unknown and mostly forgotten Dutch printer’s creative output.
Could Arie have had knowledge of the works of his fellow American printers? On the European continent many printers were working but not in a style closely resembling his. On his flowers, maybe (I will show those in following postings).
Carl Rotky

Gustave Baumann

Color printing (landscape)artists like Carl Thieman (1881-1966) Hans and Leo Frank (1884-1959), Carl Rotky (1891-1977) and Hélène Mass (1871-) coming to mind. The Austrian- Hungarian printers developing an altogether different style. I can’t think of any English or France examples. Artists like Oscar Droege (1898-1982) showing a completely different approach to printing landscapes.




both examples by Gustave Baumann.

Earlier I pointed to the books by Pedro de Lemos. In the Netherlands there were simply no printers mastering the art of color printing combining linocut and wood-key block printing that could have been taught or shown to him. Although he visited Italy Arie was not a widely travelled man.

I think he figured it out mainly by himself which makes his achievements in color printing all the more amazing. In his short life he has shown a wonderful eye to the beauty around him and an amazing sensitivity and skillful ability to capture the world around and pass it down to us. Even two, three generations later.

Visit:

http://lotusgreenfotos.blogspot.com/search?q=zonneveld
and
http://www.clivechristy.com/search?q=zonneveld

to catch up on the art of Arie ZOnneveld.


To be continued soon !

All examples by Arie Zonneveld unless otherwise stated.

9 comments:

  1. Fantastic post, Gerrie. The second/third images are obviously from the same plate, but do you think the difference is entirely due to wear, or is it an alternate colour printing?

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  2. Hello Neil, I don't really know for sure. But I do know from his son that prints were pulled long after he died in 1941 due to appendicitis. No limited editions, Mrs. Zonnveld's printing carried the family through the war. And this was a perticular aesthetic print. Who doesn't like it ? I just studied the ink in both and somehow the branches in the darker print missing little bits and pieces and seem to be thinner then the other one. But still it's an (educated) quess, I agree. Thanks for commenting. More Zonneveld coming up soon.

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  3. David, I'm glad you liked it as much as I did making this posting. There is more Zonneveld to come. Thanks for stopping by and commenting, always appreciated very much.
    gerrie

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  4. Did the artist do any actual watercolour paintings

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  5. How did he normally sign his paintings, have one but not sure if it is authentic.

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