Early 20th Century Figurative Prints

Etching on vélin d'Arches paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition. Published by Éditions Marcel Seheur, Paris; printed by Atelier d'art Paul Haasen, Paris, Septembe...

"Introduktion - Incipit Redemptio" is an original Black and white héliogravure on cream-colored cardboard realized by Choisy Le Conin, pseudonym of Franz Von Bayros (Agram, 1866 – V...

2018 marks the centenary anniversary of Ferdinand Hodler’s death. In that 100 years time, the art world’s esteem of this important artist has proved fickle. It has shifted from extolling his artistic merits during his lifetime to showing something of a feigned disdain- more reflective of the world political order than a true change of heart for Hodler’s work. After years of Hodler being all but a footnote in the annals of art history and generally ignored, finally, the pendulum has righted itself once again. Recent retrospective exhibitions in Europe and the United States have indicated not only a joyful rediscovery of Hodler’s art but a firm conviction that his work and world view hold particular relevance today. DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS is not only a collection of printed work reflecting the best of all of his painted work created up to 1914 just before the outbreak of World War I, the portfolio itself is an encapsulation of Hodler’s ethos, Parallelisme. Hodler developed his philosophy of Parallelisme as a unifying approach to art which strips away detail in search of harmony. By means of abstraction, symmetry and repetition, Hodler sought ways to depict Nature’s essence and her fundamental, universal order. He believed these universal laws governing the natural, observable world extend to the spiritual realm. Symbolist in nature with Romantic undertones, his works are equally portraits of these universal concepts and feelings governing all life as they are a visual portrait in the formal sense. Whether his subject is a solitary tree, a moment in battle, mortal fear, despair, the awe inspired by a vast mountain range, a tender moment or even the collective conviction in a belief, Hodler unveils this guiding principle of Parallelisme. Several aspects of Hodler’s portfolio reinforce his tenets of Parallelisme. The Table of Contents clearly preferences a harmonious design over detail. The two columns, consisting of twenty lines each, list the images by order of appearance using their German titles. The abbreviated titles are somewhat cryptic in that they obscure the identities of the sitters. Like the image Hodler presents, they are distillations of the sitter without any extraneous details. This shortening was also done in an effort to maintain a harmonious symmetry of the Table of Contents, themselves, and keep titles to a one-line limit. The twenty-fourth title: “Bildnis des Schweizerischen Gesandten C.” was so long, even with abbreviation, that it required two lines; so, for the sake of maintaining symmetry, the fortieth title: “Bauernmadchen” was omitted from the list. This explains why the images are not numbered. Hodler’s reasoning is not purely esoteric. Symmetry and pattern reach beyond mere formal design principles. Finding sameness and imposing it over disorder goes to the root of Hodler’s identity and his art. A Swiss native, Hodler was bi-lingual and spoke German and French. Each printed image, even number forty, have titles in both of Hodler’s languages. Certainly, there was a market for Hodler’s work among francophones and this inclusion may have been a polite gesture to that end; however, this is the only place in the portfolio which includes French. With German titles at the lower left of each image, Hodler’s name at bottom center and corresponding French titles at the lower right of each image, there is a harmony and symmetry woven into all aspects of the portfolio. This holds true for the page design, as it applies to each printed image and as it describes the Swiss artist himself. Seen in this light, Hodler’s portfolio of printed work is the epitome of Hodler’s Parallelisme. DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS is also one of the most significant documents to best tell the story of how Hodler, from Switzerland, became caught between political cross-hairs and how the changing tides of nations directly impacted the artist during his lifetime as well as the accessibility of his art for generations to come. The Munich-based publisher of the portfolio, R. Piper & Co., Verlag, plays a crucial role in this story. Publishing on a wide range of subjects from philosophy and world religion to music, literature and the visual arts; the publisher’s breadth of inquiry within any one genre was equal in scope. Their marketing strategy to publish multiple works on Hodler offers great insight as to what a hot commodity Hodler was at that time. R.Piper & Co.’s Almanach, which they published in 1914 in commemoration of their first ten years in business, clearly illustrates the rapid succession- strategically calculated for achieving the deepest and broadest impact - in which they released three works on Hodler to hit the market by the close of 1914. DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS was their premier publication. It preceded C.A. Loosli’s Die Zeichnungen Ferdinand Hodlers, a print portfolio after 50 drawings by Hodler which was released in Autumn of 1914 at the mid-level price-point of 75-150 Marks; and a third less expensive collection of prints after original works by Hodler, which had not been included in either of the first two portfolios, was released at the end of that year entitled Ferdinand Hodler by Dr. Ewald Bender. The title and timing of DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS' debut leaves little doubt as to the connection it has with another avant-garde portfolio of art prints, Das Werk Gustav Klimts, released in 5 installments from 1908 -1914 by Galerie Miethke in Vienna. Hodler, himself, was involved in Klimt’s ground-breaking project. As the owner of Klimt’s 1901 painting, “Judith with the Head of Holifernes” which appears as the ninth collotype print in the second installment of Das Werk Gustav Klimts, Hodler was obliged to grant access of the painting to the art printers in Vienna for them to create the collotype sometime before 1908. Hodler had been previously invited in 1904 to take part in what would be the last exhibition of the Vienna Secession before Klimt and others associated with Galerie Miethke broke away. In an interview that same year, Hodler indicated that he respected and was impressed by Klimt. Hodler’s esteem for Klimt went beyond the art itself; he emulated Klimt’s method aimed at increasing his market reach and appeal to a wider audience by creating a print portfolio of his painted work. By 1914, Hodler and his publisher had the benefit of hindsight to learn from Klimt’s Das Werk publication. Responding to the sluggish sales of Klimt’s expensive endeavor, Hodler’s publisher devised the same diversified 1-2-3 strategy for selling Hodler’s Das Werk portfolio as they did with regards to all three works on Hodler they published that year. For their premium tier of DAS WERKS FERDINAND HODLERS, R. Piper & Co. issued an exclusive Museum quality edition of 15 examples on which Hodler signed each page. At a cost of 600 Marks, this was generally on par with Klimt’s asking price of 600 Kronen for his Das Werk portfolio. A middle-tiered Preferred edition of 30, costing somewhat less and with Hodler’s signature only on the Title Page, was also available. The General edition, targeting the largest audience with its much more affordable price of 150 Marks, is distinguishable by its smaller size. Rather than use the subscription format Miethke had chosen for Klimt’s portfolios which proved to have had its challenges, R. Piper & Co. employed a different strategy. In addition to instantly gratifying the buyer with all 40 of the prints comprising DAS WERK FERDINAND HODLERS and the choice among three price points, they advertised in German journals a fourth possibility of ordering single prints from them directly. These printed images are easily discernible from the three complete folio editions. The paper size of the single purchased images is of the larger format like the Museum and Preferred editions, measuring 65 h x 50 w cm; however, the paper itself is the same copper print paper used in the General edition and then mounted on poster board. The publishing house positioned itself to be a direct retailer of Hodler’s art. They astutely recognized the potential for profitability and the importance, therefore, of having proprietary control over his graphic works. R. Piper & Co. owned the exclusive printing rights to Hodler’s best work found in their three publications dating from 1914. That same year, a competing publication out of Weimar entitled Ferdinand Hodler: Ein Deutungsversuch von Hans...

Theophile Alexandre Steinlen, French/Swiss (1859 - 1923) - Femmes conversant dans la Rue, Medium: Double Sided Lithograph, Size: 15 x 10.25 in. (38.1 x 26.04 cm), Description: From ...

Héliogravure on japanese paper realized by Fraz von Bayros in 1913 for Ex Libris Verlag K. Th. Senger, Munich. Mounted on passepartout. Edition of 260, hand signed in pencil by the ...

This lithograph from the portfolio "Egon Schiele" is a reproduction of "Melanie Schiele", an original artwork realized by Egon Schiele in 1906. The portfolio, that includes 10 lithog...

After Egon Schiele (1890 – 1918), AUSTRIA “ART CANNOT BE MODERN, ART IS PRIMORDIALLY ETERNAL.” -SCHIELE Defiantly iconoclastic in life and art, Egon Schiele is esteemed for his mas...

The Speech is an original modern artwork realized by Ferdinand Bac (1859 - 1952) in 1922. Original Lithograph on ivory paper. Excellent conditions. The Speech is an excellent Lib...

Image size: 8.6x13.9 cm. Original drypoint on Chine Appliqué realized by Matisse in 1929 in an edition of only 25 prints. Signed and numbered in pencil lower right. Excellent conditi...

The Acrobats is an original modern artwork realized by Carlo Carrà in 1922. Lithograph on paper. Hand signed and dated on the lower margin. Titled on th...

Kees Van Dongen (1877-1968) - La Garçonne Original Lithograph, pochoir from 1925. Arches paper (no watermark). Dimensions of work: 23.5 x 18 cm Publisher: E. Flammarion Éditeur. ...

DAS WERK GUSTAV KLIMTS, a portfolio of 50 prints, ten of which are multicolor collotypes on chine colle paper laid down on hand-made heavy cream wove paper wi...

The image show a panoramic view of the architectural arches and the boats in the harbor of Dieppe in Normandy France. Dieppe was occupied by German naval and army forces after the f...

Decorative motifs of the Chinese Renaissance is an original print by an anonymous artist. Chromolithograph. Good conditions. The artwork represents Decorative motifs of the Chines...

Maurice DENIS (1870 - 1943) Dancing Ariane, Study for Ariane's Figure Original lithograph enhanced in pastel Printed signature in the plate On light cream tinted vellum 48 x 31 cm (...

Salome Tanzt is a colored cliché from watercolor on cream-colored cardboard realized by Choisy Le Conin, as is remembered Franz Von Bayros (Agram, 1866 – Vienna, 1924). From Mappe, ...

Danaë, no. 2 from the fourth installment of Das Werk Gustav Klimts Danae originates from Greek mythology. She is the daughter of the King of Argos. Because a...

Monsieur Le Major is a vintage Lithograph realized by Hermann Paul from the series " La Grande Guerre Par Les Artistes" Good condition on a yellowed cardboard. Signed and titled on...

Decorative Motifs - Japanese Style is a print on ivory-colored paper realized by Andrea Alessio in the early 20th Century. Signed on the plate on the lower. Vintage Chromolithograp...

Etching on vélin d'Annonay, des frères Montgolfier paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good Condition. Notes: From the volume, Dix filles dans un pré. Ballet imaginaire. Avec quatre gravures à l'eau-forte de Marie Laurencin, 1926. Published by Au Sans Pareil, Paris; printed by Lacourière, Paris, 1926. Excerpted from the volume (translated from French), 20 copies on tank vellin, with a double sequence of engravings, including one in first condition. These copies, reserved for Friends of the Unparalleled and printed in their name, are numbered from 1 to 20; 35 examples; 60 copies on Holland Van...

Lithograph on vélin Lafuma paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good Condition; never framed or matted. Notes: From the volume, Dessins de Henri-Matisse, 1925. Published by Édi...

Walk is a lithograph realized by Raoul Dufy in 1920. Good conditions. Edition of 110. Unsigned and unnumbered as issued.

The European Macabre Dance N.8 is a hand-colored lithograph, from the Series "La Danza Macabra Europea" illustrated by Alberto Martini (Oderzo, 1876 – Milan, 1954) in 1915. Signed ...

Moto-Flirt Color lithograph, c. 1902 Signed in the stone lower right (see photo) Published by Edmund Sagot (1857-1917), Paris Printed by Atelier Chaix, Paris Large edition with title...

Lithograph on vélin Lafuma paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good Condition; never framed or matted. Notes: From the volume, Dessins de Henri-Matisse, 1925. Published by Édi...

Kuwana Station is an original modern artwork realized after Utagawa Hiroshige (1797 – 12 October 1858) in 1920s. Original woodcut print oban yokoe. After the famous Tokaido series, ...

Lithograph on vélin Lafuma paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good Condition; never framed or matted. Notes: From the volume, Dessins de Henri-Matisse, 1925. Published by Édi...

Lithograph on vélin des papeteries Lafúma paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition. Notes: From the album, Le manuscrit trouvé dans un chapeau, orné de dessins a la ...

Young Woman is an original lithograph artwork, realized in 1903 by Charles Lucien Léandre (1862–1934). Signed on plate on the lower left and dated. Th...

Walter Schnackenberg’s style changed several times during his long and successful career. Having studied in Munich, the artist traveled often to Paris where he fell under the spell of the Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s colorful and sensuous posters depicting theatrical and decadent subjects. Schnackenberg became a regular contributor of similar compositions to the German magazines Jugend and Simplicissimus before devoting himself to the design of stage scenery and costumes. In the artist’s theatrical work, his mastery of form, ornamentation, and Orientalism became increasingly evident. He excelled at combining fluid Art Nouveau outlines, with spiky Expressionist passages, and the postures and patterns of the mysterious East. In his later years, Schnackenberg explored the unconscious, using surreal subject matter and paler colors that plainly portrayed dreams and visions, some imbued with political connotations. His drawings, illustrations, folio prints, and posters are highly sought today for their exceedingly imaginative qualities, enchanting subject matter, and arresting use of color. SCHNACKENBERG: KOSTUME, PLAKATE UND DEKORATIONEN, a cardboard bound art book consisting of 43 prints of work by Walter Schnackenberg, 30 of which are color lithographs that are signed and some are titled and dated in the plate, as well as black and white prints and photographs with accompanying text by Oskar Bie; lithographs printed at Kunstanstalt Oskar Consee in Munich, other images printed by Gesellschaft Pick & Co. in Munich, the text and cover with color images by Schnackenberg front and verso printed by R. Oldenbourg in Munich; published by Musarion Verlag, Munich, 1920. The majority of Walter Schnackenberg’s artistic output was destroyed by bomb attacks in Munich in 1944. The highly publicized 2013 auction in New York of the recovered pre-war poster collection once belonging to German poster aficionado, Hans Sachs has reintroduced the world to Walter Schnackenberg’s graphic genius and priceless ephemeral art from a lost era. Besides the museum world, designer Karl Lagerfeld is one of the most prodigious collectors of Schnackenberg. Flipping through the pages of Kostume, Plakate und Dekorationen, it becomes quite clear that Schnackenberg’s collection is ground zero at the crossroads of early modern fashion where the cult of celebrity meets up with dance, music, theater and cabaret, film and the graphic medium. Berlin and Munich under Germany’s Weimar Republic in the first quarter of the 20th century produced just the atmosphere to feed this burgeoning industry. Rising inflation sparked a recklessness to live large for the moment and heightened a desire for escapism. An influx of Indian and East Asian dancers and musicians added to the artsy bohemian cultural mix. A new decadence and tolerance resulted. Film boldly featured provocative subject matter. Cabarets became popular venues giving rise to the demi-monde in which people from all social stations mixed more freely in a thriving underground economy and culture where there was a blurring of boundaries and of social codes. Noted art historian and cultural doyen, Oskar Bie astutely observes in his introduction to Schnackenberg’s publication that what unites the images is fantasy and advertisement. Schnackenberg uses the eye as an instrument to brilliantly construct and convey this double message. His personages never directly confront the viewer. Their eyes gaze off in the distance like those of the screenplayer and film star Hedamaria Scholz in Schnackenberg’s “Die Rodelhexe” movie poster. Their eyes follow the path of a dance composition or become a transfixed and ogling male gaze such as the iconic 1911 Odeon Casino...

L'Angellus Etching, engraving and acquatint on Arches paper, 1902 Signed lower right by the artist (see photo) This is a first state impression printed in a brown/black ink, one of ...

Drypoint and aquatint (brown ink) on cream paper. Signed "Rehn" in pencil on the lower right margin. Titled and numbered in pencil on the lower left margin. Edition of 25 prints. Fr...

Lithograph on vélin Lafuma paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good Condition; never framed or matted. Notes: From the volume, Dessins de Henri-Matisse, 1925. Published by Édi...

Alméry Lobel-Riche Cancan Dancer Handsigned original engraving Signature printed in the plate Numbered /12 On parchment 31 x 22.5 cm (c. 12.2 x 8.9 inche...

Lithograph on vélin Lafuma Navarre paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good Condition; never framed or matted. Notes: From the album, Dessins de Henri-Matisse, 1925. Published...

Lithograph on vélin Lafuma paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good Condition; never framed or matted. Notes: From the volume, Dessins de Henri-Matisse, 1925. Published by Édi...

Lithograph on vélin Lafuma paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good Condition; never framed or matted. Notes: From the volume, Dessins de Henri-Matisse, 1925. Published by Édi...

The European Macabre Dance N.38 is a hand-colored lithograph, from the Series "La Danza Macabra Europea" illustrated by Alberto Martini (Oderzo, 1876 – Milan, 1954) in 1915. Signed ...

BARBIER, George. Nijinsky in Scheherazade. London, C. W. Beaumont, 1913. ‘The designs, although somewhat fantastic in treatment, do convey the impression produced by Nijinsky in h...

This original etching is hand signed in pencil by the artist "L. Ury" at the lower left margin. It is a signed proof from an edition of unknown size. It is a particularly rare subjec...

Decorative Motifs - Arab Styles is a print on ivory-colored paper realized by Andrea Alessio in the early 20th Century. Signed on the plate on the lower. Vintage Chromolithograph. ...

Edward PELLENS The Sailboat, 1922 Original woodcut Handsigned in pencil Numbered /154 On vellum 32.5 x 25.5 cm (c. 13 x 10 in) Bears the blind stamp of t...

Kees Van Dongen (1877-1968) - La Garçonne Original Lithograph, pochoir from 1925. Arches paper (no watermark). Dimensions of work: 23.5 x 18 cm Publisher: E. Flammarion Éditeur. ...

Original Vintage Poster, issued 1987 by the ETH in Zurich on the occasion of its exhibition on Le Corbusier's famous – and revolutionary – Villa Savoye, c...

Nudes is an Original Etching realized in Early 20th Century by Raphael Drouart (1884-1972). The artwork is in good condition. Hand-signed. Numbered. Edition,18/25. Maurice Raphaë...

Kees Van Dongen (1877-1968) - La Garçonne Original Lithograph, pochoir from 1925. Arches paper (no watermark). Dimensions of work: 23.5 x 18 cm Publisher: E. Flammarion Éditeur. ...

A Hot Finish is a fun, bold and colorful caricature of the racing scene in the early 1900’s. As the winning horse and his jockey are racing to the finish...

Wood engraving on vergé d'Arches paper. Inscription: unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good condition. Notes: From the volume, Les Petites Fleurs de St. François, 1928. Published b...

Champagne is an offset lithograph, realized by George Grosz. The artwork is the plate n. 77 from the porfolio Ecce Homo published between 1922/1923, edition of Der Malik-Verlag Berl...

Profile Bust of a Girl - Woman's Head in Profile (Havard) Drypoint, 1920 Unsigned (as issued) From: The Drypoints of Elie Nadelman, 21 unpublished prints by the sculptor, proof from ...

Man, Wife and Child Etching, 1905 Signed and titled in pencil by the artist below image (see photo) Annotated in pencil by the artist "100 proofs" Signed and dated in the plate lower...

Lithograph on vélin Lafuma paper. Unsigned and unnumbered, as issued. Good Condition; never framed or matted. Notes: From the volume, Dessins de Henri-Matisse, 1925. Published by Édi...

Monster is an original color lithograph realized by Emil Nolde in 1926, artist’s proof before the first edition, out of an edition of 520 copies, Image dimensions: 16.2x11.2 In v...

Art Deco original pochoir print. Please find the dimensions of the artwork: 20 x 15 cm - Dimensions of the image 26 x 20 cm - Dimensions of the paper 28 x 22,5 cm - Framed dimensi...

'New York Tribune' Chromolithograph. 1902. Vanity Fair portrait of Whitelaw Reid who was a US politician and newspaper editor. 395mm by 265mm (sheet)

DAS WERK GUSTAV KLIMTS, a portfolio of 50 prints, ten of which are multicolor collotypes on chine colle paper laid down on hand-made heavy cream wove paper with deckled edges; under ...

Etching and aquatint on cream paper. Signed in pencil on the lower right margin. Titled and numbered in pencil on the lower left margin. Edition of 25 prints. Plate in excellent co...

Hand signed and numbered.This lithograph is from the portfolio “Metamorphosis”. Reference: A. Ciranna, Giorgio de Chirico. Catalogo delle opere grafiche, Milan-Rome, p. 32, n.12 V...

Ange Déchu is a prototype reproduction realized after Odilon Redon. They belong to the suite "Odilon Redon Peintre, Dessinateur et Graveur", published by Henri Felury in 1923. Tit...

Cross building four flights of stairs from Ecce Homo is an original offset lithograph, realized by George Grosz. The artwork is the plate n. 49 from the porfolio Ecce Homo publishe...