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Gustave Baumann Art

American, German, 1881-1971

Gustave Baumann was born in Magdeburg, Germany, on June 27, 1881. Baumann immigrated to the USA as a child. He grew up in Chicago but became curious about New Mexico. He visited friends there in 1917 and settled in Santa Fe in 1918. He spent over 50 years there, where he participated in the art community. He created woodblocks from which he made prints and also became a carver of saints and marionettes, working with the Marionette Theatre. Baumann also created numerous paintings in bright colors. His woodcut subjects are church figures, scenes of sacred Indian pictographs and landscapes, including the Grand Canyon. During the 1930s, Baumann was a Works Progress Administration co-ordinator for Santa Fe. He died in Santa Fe on October 8, 1971.

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'Taos Placita' — American Southwest Regionalist Masterwork
By Gustave Baumann
Located in Myrtle Beach, SC
Gustave Baumann, 'Taos Placita', color woodcut, 1947, edition 125. Baumann 132. Signed, titled, and numbered '20-125' in pencil; with the artist’s Hand-in-Heart chop. A superb, richly-inked impression, with fresh colors, on fibrous oatmeal wove paper; the full sheet with margins (2 to 3 1/8 inches); slight rippling at the left sheet edge, in excellent condition. Matted to museum standards, unframed. Image size 9 5/8 x 11 1/4 inches (244 x 286 mm); sheet size 13 1/4 x 17 inches (337 x 432 mm). Collections: Harwood Museum of Art, New Mexico Museum of Art, Phoenix Art Museum, Scottsdale Art Museum, Wichita Art Museum. ABOUT THE ARTIST Gustave Baumann (1881-1971) was a renowned printmaker and a leading figure of the American color woodcut revival whose exquisite craftsmanship and vibrant imagery captured the essence of the Southwest. "A brilliant printmaker, Baumann brought to the medium a full mastery of the craft of woodworking that he acquired from his father, a German cabinetmaker. This craftsmanship was coupled with a strong artistic training that resulted in the handsome objects we see in the exhibition today. After discovering New Mexico in 1918, Baumann began to explore in his woodblock prints of this period the light. color, and architectural forms of that landscape. His prints of this period are among the most beautiful and poetic images of the American West." —Lewis I. Sharp, Director, Denver Art Museum Baumann, the son of a craftsman, immigrated to the United States from Germany with his family when he was ten, settling in Chicago. From 1897 to 1904, he studied in the evenings at the Art Institute of Chicago, working in a commercial printmaking shop during the day. In 1905, he returned to Germany to attend the Kunstwerbe Schule in Munich, where he decided on a career in printmaking. He returned to Chicago in 1906 and worked for a few years as a graphic designer of labels. Baumann made his first prints in 1909 and exhibited them at the Art Institute of Chicago the following year. In 1910, he moved to the artists’ colony in Nashville, Indiana, where he explored the creative and commercial possibilities of a career as a printmaker. In 1915, he exhibited his color woodcuts at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, winning the gold medal. Among Baumann’s ongoing commercial activities was his work for the Packard Motor Car Company from 1914 to 1920 where he produced designs, illustrations, and color woodcuts until 1923. In 1919, Baumann’s printmaking work dominated the important exhibition of American color woodcuts at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Twenty-six of his prints were included, far more than the works of any other artist. A set of his blocks, a preparatory drawing, and seven progressive proofs complemented the exhibition. That same year, Baumann worked in New York and, over the summer, in Provincetown, Massachusetts. His airy images of Cape Cod employed soft, pastel colors and occasionally showed the influence of the white-line woodcut technique. Many of his Chicago artist friends had traveled to the southwest, and Baumann became intrigued by their paintings, souvenirs, and stories of an exotic place named Taos, New Mexico. In the summer of 1918, he spent the summer in Taos sketching and painting before visiting Santa Fe. Paul Walter, the director of the Museum of New Mexico, offered him a studio in the museum's basement. Inspired by the rugged beauty of the Southwest—the vibrant colors and dramatic landscapes of the region became a central theme in his work, influencing his artistic style and subject matter for the remainder of his career. Later in the decade, he traveled to the West Coast and made prints of California landscape. Baumann's prints became synonymous with the Southwest, capturing the spirit of its place in America's identity with a unique sense of authenticity and reverence. His iconic images of desert vistas, pueblo villages, and indigenous cultures served as visual tributes to the region's rich cultural heritage, earning him a dedicated following among collectors and curators alike. A true craftsman and artist, Baumann completed every step of the printmaking process himself, cutting each block, mixing the inks, and printing every impression on the handmade paper he selected. His dedication to true craftsmanship and his commitment to preserving the integrity of his artistic vision earned him widespread acclaim and recognition within the art world. About the vibrant colors he produced, Baumann stated, “A knowledge of color needs to be acquired since they don’t all behave the same way when ground or mixed...careful chemistry goes into the making of colors, with meticulous testing for permanence. While complicated formulae evolve new colors, those derived from Earth and metal bases are still the most reliable.” In the 1930s, Baumann became interested in puppet theater. He designed and carved his own marionettes and established a little traveling company. From 1943 to 1945, the artist carved an altarpiece for the Episcopal Church of the Holy Faith in Santa Fe. In 1952, a retrospective exhibition of his prints was mounted at the New Mexico Museum of Fine Arts. Throughout his prolific career, Baumann executed nearly four hundred color woodcuts. Baumann’s woodcuts...
Category

1940s American Modern Gustave Baumann Art

Materials

Woodcut

AN EAGLE CEREMONY AT TESUQUE PUEBLO
By Gustave Baumann
Located in Portland, ME
Baumann, Gustave. AN EAGLE CEREMONY AT TESUQUE PUEBLO. Color woodcut, 1932. Publshed in The Colophon, December, 1932 in an edition of about 3000. Unsigned, as issued. 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 i...
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1930s Gustave Baumann Art

Materials

Woodcut

Gustave Baumann Color Woodblock - Rancho de Taos
By Gustave Baumann
Located in Phoenix, AZ
“Rancho de Taos” by well-known woodblock artist Gustave Baumann (1881-1971). The medium is color woodblock. It's a beautiful print in excellent condition. Baumann's personal Hand and...
Category

Mid-20th Century Gustave Baumann Art

Materials

Woodcut

Gustave Baumann Color Woodblock - Three Pines
By Gustave Baumann
Located in Phoenix, AZ
“Three Pines” by well-known woodblock artist Gustave Baumann (1881-1971). The medium is color woodblock. It's a beautiful print in excellent condition. Baumann's personal Hand and He...
Category

Mid-20th Century Gustave Baumann Art

Materials

Paper, Color, Woodcut

THE WAGON SHOP
By Gustave Baumann
Located in Santa Monica, CA
GUSTAVE BAUMANN (1881 – 1971) THE WAGON SHOP, 1910 (Chamberlain 24) Color woodcut signed in pencil. Unnumbed from an edition 100 as published in the Hills o’ Brown...
Category

1910s Modern Gustave Baumann Art

Materials

Woodcut

THE WAGON SHOP
THE WAGON SHOP
$1,800 Sale Price
20% Off
THE RUG WEAVER
By Gustave Baumann
Located in Santa Monica, CA
GUSTAVE BAUMANN (1881 – 1971) THE RUG WEAVER, 1910 (Chamberlain 26) Color woodcut signed in pencil. Unnumbed from an edition 100 as published in the Hills o’ Brown...
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1910s American Modern Gustave Baumann Art

Materials

Woodcut

The Print Shop
By Gustave Baumann
Located in Santa Monica, CA
GUSTAVE BAUMANN (1881 – 1971) THE PRINT SHOP 1910 (Chamberlain 27) Color woodcut signed in pencil. Unnumbed from an edition 100 as published in the Hills o’ Brown Portfolio, (plate 11 of 12). Image 9 x 13 1/8, sheet 10 ¼ x 13 7/8 with deckle edge at the bottom. The print portrays the Brown County...
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1910s American Modern Gustave Baumann Art

Materials

Lithograph

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Previously Available Items
"A Quiet Corner" Wood Block print by Gustave Baumann, Signed 4 of 125
By Gustave Baumann
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Original 1936 color woodcut print titled "A Quiet Corner" numbered and signed by Gustave Baumann in pencil. The print is present in the original frame chosen by the artist. Print: 7 1/2" x 8 5/8" image Frame: 15" x 15" image Reference: Chamberlain 150; GB113 United States, 1936 This serene shadowed patio with turquoise benches...
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1930s American Vintage Gustave Baumann Art

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An Eagle Ceremony at Tesuque Pueblo
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MORNING IN MEXICO (RARE UNDESCRIBED STATE)
By Gustave Baumann
Located in Santa Monica, CA
GUSTAVE BAUMANN (1881 -1971) MORNING IN MEXICO 1934-36 (Chamberlain 143) Color woodcut, 2nd version after Baumann discarded the first blocks. This version 1936. POSSIBLY AN UNIQUE VARIANT IMPRESSION. DIFFERS FORM THE IMAGE IN THE CATALOG RAISONNE. Aside from differing colors not uncommon with Baumann, there are also differences in the blocks. The area along the left edge is different e. g. the left edge - elimination of cross hatching below the roof and the elimination of the lower left corner shrub like cross hatching. . There are also differences in the sky with more clouds. Although the intended edition was 125, this print is very scarce and rarely comes on the market. Very good and fresh impression. No. II - 41 /125. Image, 13 x 13 ¼”, full sheet, 16 7/8 x 14 3/8”, deckle edge. Excellent condition. Provenance: Zaplin Lampert...
Category

1930s American Modern Gustave Baumann Art

Materials

Woodcut

Gustave Baumann Color Woodblock, “Hopi Katcinas, ” 1925
By Gustave Baumann
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Color woodblock created 1925 by important New Mexico artist Gustave Baumann (1881-1971). This print is pencil signed by Baumann lower right with his '...
Category

Early 20th Century Gustave Baumann Art

Materials

Paper

MORNING IN MEXICO
By Gustave Baumann
Located in Santa Monica, CA
GUSTAVE BAUMANN (1881 -1971) MORNING IN MEXICO 1934-36 (Chamberlain 143: Baumann 107) Color woodcut, 2nd version after Baumann discarded the first blocks. ...
Category

1930s American Modern Gustave Baumann Art

Materials

Woodcut

Gustave Baumann Color Woodblock, 1920, Talpa Chapel
By Gustave Baumann
Located in Phoenix, AZ
Beautiful original color woodblock print by New Mexico artist Gustave Baumann (1881-1971). Titled lower left in pencil. Pencil signed lower right "Gus...
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Early 20th Century Gustave Baumann Art

Materials

Paper

RAIN IN THE MOUNTAINS
By Gustave Baumann
Located in Portland, ME
Baumann, Gustave. RAIN IN THE MOUNTAINS. Chamberlain 108, Edition 1; Baumann Inventory #76. Color woodcut, 1926. Printed in seven colors by Baum...
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1920s Gustave Baumann Art

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Summer Rain
By Gustave Baumann
Located in Myrtle Beach, SC
Signed, titled, numbered RC 20-50 and dated 56 in pencil, with the artist’s hand-in-heart chop. A superb impresson, with brilliant, fresh colors, on oatmeal wove paper; with wide m...
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1920s American Modern Gustave Baumann Art

Apple Blossoms
By Gustave Baumann
Located in Denver, CO
Original color woodcut. Housed in a custom frame with all archival materials and Museum Glass (UV Protection/Anti-reflective). Framed dimensions measure 18 ½ x 19 ½ x 1 inches; image dimensions measure 9.5 x 11.25 inches. About the artist: Gustave Baumann’s family emigrated from Germany to Chicago in 1891, when he was only ten years old. When Baumann was 17, he worked for a commercial engraving house while attending night classes at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1905, he returned to his native Munich where he enrolled in the Kunstgewerbe Schule (Arts and Crafts School). There he studied wood carving while mastering the European technique of color wood block prints. After a year in Germany, Baumann resettled in the United States. He moved to Brown County, Indiana in 1910. The landscapes of Indiana became his main focus. He produced a portfolio of colored woodcuts entitled, “In the Hills of Brown.” In 1915, these woodcuts of Indiana won the gold medal for printmaking at the Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. In 1916, he organized the first national exhibition of color woodcuts by American artists at the Art Institute of Chicago. Baumann headed to Santa Fe in 1918 to visit his friends Walter Ufer and Victor Higgins. Once in New Mexico, Baumann was overwhelmed by the natural beauty of the state and decided to live there permanently. It was there he met and worked with John Sloane...
Category

Early 20th Century Gustave Baumann Art

Materials

Woodcut

Apple Blossoms
Apple Blossoms
H 18.5 in W 19.5 in D 1 in
Sequoia Forest
By Gustave Baumann
Located in Santa Monica, CA
GUSTAVE BAUMANN (1881 -1971) SEQUOIA FOREST 1935 (60) (Chamberlain 146.2) Color woodcut. Signed in pencil and with the hand and Heart stamp. No. 1960 3...
Category

1930s American Modern Gustave Baumann Art

Materials

Woodcut

New Year’s Greeting Card Outer: Announcing a New Year’s Broadcast, Santa Fe, N M
By Gustave Baumann
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Gustave Baumann (1881-1971) New Year’s Greeting Card Outer: Announcing a New Year’s Broadcast, Santa Fe, N M Inner: Why Don’t We Ley Mother Say Something Da!, with vignettes of the a...
Category

1930s American Modern Gustave Baumann Art

Materials

Woodcut

Spring Serenade
By Gustave Baumann
Located in New York, NY
When this color woodcut was created in 1927, Gustave Baumann was living and working in New Mexico. “Spring Serenade” is a beautiful example of his work inspired from the Southwestern landscape and color palate. This impression is signed and titled in pencil. Inscribed "No. 45-120" with Bauman’s hand heart...
Category

Early 20th Century American Modern Gustave Baumann Art

Materials

Woodcut

Gustave Baumann art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Gustave Baumann art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Gustave Baumann in woodcut print, lithograph and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the modern style. Not every interior allows for large Gustave Baumann art, so small editions measuring 7 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Arthur William Heintzelman., Charles Turzak, and Otto Kuhler. Gustave Baumann art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $2,000 and tops out at $4,750, while the average work can sell for $2,250.

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