Paul Landacre
'Verdi' — 1930s American Modernism - Italian Opera Composer
1936

Name: 'Verdi' — 1930s American Modernism - Italian Opera Composer
Brand: Paul Landacre
Price: 1600 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

Paul Landacre, 'Verdi', wood engraving, 1936, edition 60, (only 14 printed), Wien 188. Signed, titled, and numbered '10/60' in pencil. A fine impression, on cream, laid Japan paper, with full margins (1 1/2 to 2 1/4 inches). The paper lightened within a previous mat opening; otherwise in excellent condition. Printed by the artist. Image size 6 3/4 x 4 5/8 inches; sheet size 10 1/2 x 8 1/8 inches. Matted to museum standards, unframed. Extremely rare. Created for the radio station KECA as one of twelve program covers for their concert series broadcasts, 1935-36. Reproduced: 'Great Composers from 12 Wood Engravings by Paul Landacre', Invierno Press, Los Angeles, 1979. An impression of this work is in the permanent collection of the University of Arizona Museum of Art. ABOUT THE ARTIST Paul Landacre’s renowned wood engravings are distinguished by their flawless craftsmanship and impeccable design. His elegant compositions, at once highly modernist and intimately personal, inspired both Rockwell Kent and Carl Zigrosser to name him the pre-eminent American wood engraver of the 20th century. His work garnered numerous printmaking awards—among them, his illustrated books of poems for Ward Ritchie and Alexander Dumas 'A Gil Blas in California', and his first solo book, 'California Hills and Other Wood Engravings', winner of the 'Fifty Books of the Year' (1931), American Institute of Graphic Arts. In 1946 he was elected to the National Academy of Design and in 1947 the Smithsonian celebrated Landacre at midcareer by giving him a solo exhibition which was curated by the influential painter, printmaker, and scholar Jacob Kainen. Landacre's work is represented in the collections of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Brooklyn Museum, Harvard Art Museums, Library of Congress, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles Public Library, Museum of Modern Art, Oakland Museum of California, New York Public Library, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Seattle Art Museum, Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Whitney Museum of American Art, among many other public collections.

Creator:

Paul Landacre (1893-1963, American)

Creation Year:

1936

Dimensions:

Height: 6.75 in (17.15 cm)Width: 4.63 in (11.77 cm)

Medium:

Woodcut

Movement & Style:

American Modern

Period:

1930-1939

Condition:

Gallery Location:

Myrtle Beach, SC

Reference Number:

Seller: 1031251stDibs: LU53237809702

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Paul Landacre

Paul Landacre was an illustrator who specialized in wood engravings of naturalistic images executed in a sparse, rhythmic, linear style. Born in Columbus, Ohio, he was an athlete as a youth. During his sophomore year at Ohio State University, he contracted a life-threatening illness that left him partially disabled. During this same year he also enrolled in a drawing class. After a long recuperation, Landacre moved with his family to California. In order to increase his physical strength he took long walks in the nearby rural areas, and on these walks, drew in his sketchbook. By 1918 he found a job as a commercial illustrator. In 1923 he enrolled at the Otis Art Institute, where he studied all types of media, including wood engraving. Landacre's artistic reputation began to emerge in the early 1930s with the publication of his book California Hills and other Wood Engravings and his first one-person exhibition in Los Angeles. He received many commissions for book illustrations; since he worked in a careful, deliberate manner, his large projects required years to complete. For thirty-one years the artist maintained a hand press in his home, allowing him to have total control over the printing of his designs. In 1939 he was made an associate of the National Academy of Design. The remainder of Landacre's professional career was balanced between teaching and illustrating books. Two examples from the National Gallery's permanent collection demonstrate the range of Landacre's work. His engraving, Smoke Tree, evokes the nearby desert scenery that the artist knew. The sharp, angular canyons of the mountain contrast with the delicate, small-leafed tree in the foreground. Some Ingredients is a still life composition that displays the same strength of line, forceful contrasts, and textures seen in his landscapes. [This is an excerpt from the interactive companion program to the videodisc American Art from the National Gallery of Art. Produced by the Department of Education Resources, this teaching resource is one of the Gallery's free-loan educational programs.]