Without any hesitation the hand that drew the outlines of this sketch created body, volume and even transferred the almost tangible softness and warmth of the lovely model onto the paper. In 1962, with the eyes of Matisse and the hand of Picasso. Or visa-versa because both men were great observers, fine drawers and into old age under the influence of female, form and mystery.
The signature and identity of the probably German artist are a puzzle: H.W.
Speaking of Matisse, muzes, nudes and lovely models: these woodblock prints by American Vincent Torre are inspired by Matisse' drawings, reducing the original works by Matisse to the essential (out) lines.
Torre (1930) was (is?) an American artist who created handprinted and handbound books, in the beginning (early 1950's) on Navy equipment while serving in the US Navy stationed on USS Orion, a submarine tender.
Later Torre acquired an old VanderCook press printing his books in (very) small editions. The Matisse interpretations are from his 1978 "Forty Four Woodcuts of the Nude" in an edition of 100 published by his "The Inkwell Press" in New York. He is known to have created some 100 books in 50 years.
Besides 5 prints after Matisse the book(let) includes his own designs and this nude after a drawing in the German "Expressionist way" pointing to the many nudes drawn by German Expressionists Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880-1938) and Otto Mueller (1974-1930).
Although rare, unique and highly collectable books obviously sometimes are broken up for profit. Individual prints, offered for $150 up, occasionally show up in Internet stores and auctions.
Any help or suggestions to identify the artists signature are welcomed.
All pictures borrowed freely from the Internet for friendly, educational and non commercial use only.
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