Happy Christmas 2012

Martin Erich Philipp (1887—1978), Poinsettia in Chinese vase, multi color woodblock print M55, 1936. Image size 34 x 47 cm.

Poinsettia (named after Joel Robert Poinsett (1779-1851), botanist and American Minister of Mexico (ambassadors weren’t appointed until 1896) beginning of the 19^th century who imported the plant into the US. 

And in 1804 Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859), explorer and botanist, brought the plant to Europe.

Latin: Euphorbia pulcherrima, Christmas flower or  Christmas rose, Atatürk flower, Aztek: Cuitla-xochitl, Mexican: Flores de Noche Buena.

A Mexican legend says the child Pepita, too poor to buy a proper gift, instead picked a bouquet of field flowers as a gift to Jesus. Given in humility and love God rewarded it with a miracle: in the church one of the plants flowered red and green on Christmas.

Arie Zonneveld (1905-1941), Poinsettia. 

See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Roberts_Poinsett

Recently I've obtained a second copy of MEPH's Poinsettias. It's on offer for swapping.

The Royle family Part I: Jean Royle

Jean Royle
(1915-2002)

English painter and linocut printer.

Today I'ld like to start with sharing the finding of these linoleum cut card designs by Jean Royle. This find leading to an unexpected encouner with a print by Sylvan Boxsius (1878-1941), the English printmaker in part 2. Boxsius inspiring Charles from Modern Printmakers and Clive from Art and the Aesthete showing, writing and discussing his prints. Follow the sidebar for Links to these great Blogs.

Jean Royle made these card designs in the 1980’s according to information from the website dedicated to the works of her and her father, (see below for the Link). I like them very much because of their “simple” but very strong composition.




This poppies and tree landscape designs are very much in the style of Dutch printer Arie Zonneveld’s (1905-1941) little landscape print half a century earlier.



Last these two examples of landscapes showing Jean Royle had a sensitive eye and was very able capturing, in oil, the mood of a late summers day in the English countyside.


More on Jean Royle at: http://www.jean-royle.com/

Next: 2: Stanley Royle, Jeans father.

Arie Zonneveld (III)

Arie Zonneveld

(1905-1941)

Dutch woodblock and linoleum printer

I have the intension showing you Arie Zonneveld's woodblock and linoleum prints in episodes. Today episode III, his dune prints and grouped together the prints of a favourite landscape he made multiple prints of.

l: dune poplar, r: dunes

Above a copy of an oilpainting by Zonneveld mirrored 180*

Arie Zonneveld (II)

Arie Zonneveld

(1905-1941)
Dutch linoleum and woodblock Printmaker

It is very difficult adding dates to the lino and woodblock prints (he combined linoleum color blocks with a wood keyblock) of Arie Zonneveld. But there is no doubt in these 6 benevolence cards he was invited to make for the year 1931.

He was just 25 years when he made them. All of his creative output (some 50 prints) made between 1925 and 1941. There is a great tradition in the Netherlands for children selling house to house "Kinderkaarten" (Childrens Cards) and benevolence postage stamps. These were one of the first. They are not that easy to come by because card collectors of all disciplines want them.

In the same atmosphere Arie created these two prints, the reason I show them here.

All images are mouse clickable.

In preparation:

Landscape and Dutch scenery prints by Arie Zonneveld.

Flowers and Bouquets by Arie Zonneveld.

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.

Pedro Joseph de Lemos (II)

Pedro Joseph de Lemos

(1882-1945)

began his art studies in the Bay Area. In 1900 he was a pupil of Arthur Matthews at the Mark Hopkins Institute and continued his studies as a student of George Bridgman at the Art Students League in New York and Arthur Wesley Dow at Columbia University Teachers College.

Returning to Oakland, Lemos set up his studio overlooking Lake Merritt and began teaching at U.C. Berkeley. He also worked as an illustrator and designer and began teaching classes in decorative design and etching at the San Francisco Institute of Art, formerly the Mark Hopkins Institute, in 1911.

Lemos was a founding member of the California Society of Etchers and one of his prints won honorable mention at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1915 for which he was chief organizer of the California print exhibition. Frances Hammel Gearhardt (1869-1958) exhibited there too.



He was Professor of Design at Stanford University and was appointed director of the Stanford Museum of Art in 1919. First president of the Carmel Art Association, Lemos was also affiliated with other art organizations including the California Society of Etchers, the California Print Makers, the Palo Alto Art Associations, the Chicago Society of Etchers and the Bohemian Club.

His influence was widespread and his achievements were honored in 1943 by his induction as fellow of the Royal Society of Art in London.

The purpose of this posting is to shown together all the pictures of woodblock prints by Pedro de Lemos I've collected strolling on the Internet. To my knowledge there is no publication on his art or woodblock prints. If you know of more prints please let me know.

Most pictures have good resolution, one ore two haven't. If you have better ones I would appreciate sending me a copy. Most pictures are "mouse clickable". I hope I have surprised you with one or two not often seen prints. I have a file with some paintings by de Lemos which I will post on request.

The text in this posting I borrowed from: the International Fine Print Dealers Association.

For further reading visit:

http://thebluelantern.blogspot.com/2010/08/make-every-line-count-pedro-de-lemos.html

http://www.clivechristy.com/2009/08/pedro-de-lemos-1882-1954.html

Next: the influence of Pedro the Lemos on Dutch woodblock printer Arie Zonneveld (1905-1941).