During Christmass time I can see Blog visits rising, and now having the extra attention this is a fine opportunity to ask readers and visitors to help identify some printmakers and solve some puzzles.
To start with: I've found this picture of a very nice woodblock print somewhere in the Internet, safed it but so far was unable to find it again. The signature could read F. Mentz Kaßsel. But I have never found a printmaker by that name. It seems to me a 25 year anniversary of some kind (a choir singing).
Same goes for these two Internet found "said to be Russian" (are they ?) wintery and snowy prints. They are (very) reminding of Paul Leschorn's (1876-1951) speciality (below). And I don't know if they are by the same printmaker.
All pictures borrowed freely from the Internet for friendly, educational and non commercial use only.
Hi Gerrie,
ReplyDeletea merry Christmas to you, too, and only the best for the coming year! The last name in the first print might read "Rafael", though it's hard to say for sure...
greetings from Bavaria to Holland,
Klaus
Thank you, danke Klaus. And to you too. I tried also with Google picture search but that did not work either, while it often does. Maybe someday ......
ReplyDeleteThe second one looks similar to some winter scenes by Anna Ostroumova-Lebedeva.of winter in St. Petersburg.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year from New York State.
You are absolutely right Jane, the signature looks like that of a married (female) artist. But it doesn't look like AL-O's and there's no monogram. And I do not know of any other Russian female (or contemporary male) woodblock printmaker. Thanks for thinking with me and a Happy New year to you too from the Netherlands.
DeleteWouldn't it be Cyrillic lettering, anyway?
ReplyDeleteI thought about that but Anna Lebedeva did not and just today two definitely Russian prints showed up in Ebay that are signed in Arabic lettering too. Thanks anyway Jane.
DeleteI think you were almost there with the first one: it must, surely be Frida Mentz-Kessel, (1878-1971).
ReplyDeleteThank you once again. Google is smart but not that clever: because of the city name Kassel it's (and my) search ability and function was somewhat distracted I think. I shall try keep a more open mind in future.
ReplyDelete