Russell T. Limbach
Modernist Nude — Atelier 17
c. 1930

About the Item

Russell T. Limbach, 'Untitled (Modernist Nude)', etching and aquatint, no known edition, c. 1930. Signed in pencil. A fine impression, on cream wove paper, with full margins (1 7/8 to 2 3/4 inches), in excellent condition. Image size 8 15/16 x 5 15/16 inches; sheet size 13 3/8 x 10 1/4 inches. Extremely rare. Matted to museum standards, unframed. Probably created when Limbach was in Paris (1928-1934), where he was exposed to modernist printmaking explorations at Stanley William Hayter’s 'Atelier 17'. ABOUT THE ARTIST Born in Massillon, Ohio, Russell Limbach (1904-1971) was a graphic artist, painter, cartoonist, illustrator, and teacher. He briefly attended the Cleveland School of Art, then became an apprentice in a local lithographic plant. He realized the artistic potential of printmaking at a local exhibit when he saw James McNeill Whistler’s etchings for the first time. He left for Europe in 1928 and studied for nearly a year under fourth-generation master lithographer Edmond Desjobert in Paris. Returning to Cleveland in the depths of the depression, he traveled to New York City, where he found work as the Art Editor of The New Masses. Subsequently, he was employed by the New York City WPA (part of the Depression-era New Deal) as a technical expert on color lithography and helped to organize the Graphics Division of the WPA Arts Project in New York. In addition to printmaking and painting, Limbach was an accomplished political cartoonist and illustrator for leading leftist publications such as the New Masses and the Daily Worker. He also wrote and illustrated two books: American Trees, 1942; and But Once a Year, 1941. In 1941 Limbach was hired by Wesleyan University with the mandate of adding practical, hands-on experience in making art to the theoretical study of its expressive form. He established the 'Art Laboratory', which became an important addition to the university's newly conceived 'Humanities Workshops'. A teacher who was beloved by his students, Limbach's 'Art Lab' flourished into the 1950s and 60s. Limbach’s work was exhibited widely, receiving numerous awards: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1926-1929 (prizes), 1931 (prize), 1934 (prize), 1935 (prize); Philadelphia Printmakers 1928 (medal); California Printmakers, 1928 (medal); Art Institute of Chicago (1931); and The Library of Congress, 1946 (prize). His work is in the collections of Cleveland Museum of Art, Art Institute of Chicago, Brooklyn Museum, Davidson Art Center (Wesleyan College), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Public Library, Whitney Museum of American Art, Library of Congress, Yale University, Wesleyan University, San Francisco Museum of Art, Herron Art Institute, Glasgow University, Lyman Allyn Museum, Hunter College, University of Wisconsin, and Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Creator:

Russell T. Limbach (1904 - 1971)

Creation Year:

c. 1930

Dimensions:

Height: 9.88 in (25.1 cm)Width: 14.25 in (36.2 cm)

Medium:

Etching

Movement & Style:

American Modern

Period:

1930-1939