John Taylor Arms Prints and Multiples

An extremely scarce impression from the artist's own collection. Etching on watermarked antique laid J Whatman Japon paper, 14 1/2 x 7 5/8 inches ( 368 x 195 mm), full margins. Signe...

Etching on cream wove paper 5 7/8 x 3 3/8 inches (150 x 86 mm). Signed and dated in pencil in the lower margin. First state (of 2), before the removal of the inscription in the lowe...

Etching on antique laid paper, 6 9/16 x 3 15/16 inches (167 x 100 mm), signed and dated in pencil, lower margin. Potentially a trial proof impression aside from the unsigned edition of 1459. Non-archival tape residue along the top and bottom sheet edges, recto, well outside of image area. Scattered handling creases and general scattered soiling in the margins, minor and unobtrusive. [Fletcher 217]. This work was commissioned by The Architectural Forum...

Etching on antique handmade laid paper, 9 5/8 x 4 1/4 inches (246 x 109 mm), full margins. Signed and dated (1928) in pencil, lower margin. Printed by Frederick Reynolds. In very goo...

Etching on elaborately watermarked, antique, cream laid Dard Hunter paper, 13 5/8 x 7 1/78 inches (347 x 181 mm), full margins. Signed, titled, dated and inscribed "Ed. 100 II." From...

Etching on cream wove paper, 6 x 4 inches (153 x 102 mm), full margins. Signed in pencil, lower margin. From the edition of 150, printed by Frederick Reynolds. [Fletcher 163] This ...

Etching on antique cream laid paper with a partial watermark, 9 5/8 x 4 1/4 inches (246 x 109 mm); full margins. Signed and dated "1928" in pencil, lower margin. Inscribed "Street in Porto Maurizio...

Palazzo dell'Angelo 1931 Etching and drypoint on cream-colored, handmade laid paper with deckle edges, 7 1/4 x 6 3/4 inches (185 x 171 mm), edition of 100, full margins. Signed, dated and numbered "Ed. 100" in pencil, lower margin, second state (of three). Printed by Henry Carling, New York. Extremely minor mat tone and some inky residue in the top right corner, all unobtrusive and well outside of image area. An exquisite impression of this intricate image, with astonishing detail, and all the fine lines printing clearly. The image represents the first print which Arms printed on his own handmade paper. Framed handsomely with archival materials and museum grade glass in a wood gilt frame with a flower and garland motif. Illustrated: Dorothy Noyes Arms, Hill Towns and Cities of Northern Italy, p. 180; Anderson, American Etchers Abroad 1880-1930; Eric Denker, Reflections & Undercurrents: Ernest Roth and Printmaking in Venice, 1900-1940, p. 116. [Fletcher 233] Born in 1887 in Washington DC, John Taylor Arms studied at Princeton University, and ultimately earned a degree in architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1912. With the outbreak of W.W.I, Arms served as an officer in the United States Navy, and it was during this time that he turned his focus to printmaking, having published his first etching in 1919. His first subjects were the Brooklyn Bridge, near the Navy Yard, and it was during his wartime travel that Arms created a series of extraordinarily detailed etchings based on Gothic cathedrals and churches he visited in France and Italy. He used what was available to him, namely sewing needles and a magnifying glass, to create the incredibly rich and fine detail that his etchings are known for. Upon his return to New York after the war, Arms enjoyed a successful career as a graphic artist, created a series of etchings of American cities, and published Handbook of Print Making and Print Makers (Macmillan, 1934). He served as President of the Society of American Graphic Artists, and in 1933, was made a full member of the National Academy of Design. In its most modern incarnation, Palazzo dell'Angelo was constructed in or around 1570. The building, which has a rich and storied history, was erected upon the ruins of an earlier structure which predates the Gothic period. Some remnants of the earliest features of the residence were most certainly still visible when Arms visited, as they are today. Having a background in architecture, there's no question that Arms was moved by the beauty, history and ingenuity represented in the physical structure. One thing specifically gives away Arms's passion for the architecture, and that is the fact that he focused on the building's Moorish entranceway, balustrade, and two mullioned windows, and not on the curious Gothic era bas-relief of an angel nestled into the facade of the building, after which the structure is named. The sculpture itself doesn't appear in Arms's composition at all, despite the fact that it is the feature of the building that is most famous in its folklore. Arms instead focuses on the oldest portion of the architecture, even documenting some of the remnants of a fresco, and a funerary stele for the freedman Tito Mestrio Logismo, and his wife Mestria Sperata (visible above the water level, to the left of the door, behind the gondola), which was first described in 1436. Among the many notable bits of history regarding the Palazzo, it has been documented that Tintoretto painted frescos of battle scenes on the facade of the building. The paintings have been lost to time and the elements, but not entirely to history. The empty frame...

Etching on bluish-grey, thin laid paper, 9 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches (242 x 140 mm), full margins. Signed, dated and numbered "II." In very good condition with three pin-point sized dots of...

Etching on cream wove paper, 3 3/16 x 1 9/16 inches (81 x 41 mm), full margins. Signed, dated, and inscribed "II" in pencil, lower margin, and with an inscription and dedication in t...

Etching and drypoint on greenish cream wove paper, 3 1/4 x 1 15/16 inches (81 x 48 mm), full margins. Signed, dated, and inscribed "III" in pencil. Number 46 from the French Churche...

Etching on cream wove paper, 5 9/16 x 2 3/4 inches (142 x 70 mm), full margins. Signed, titled, numbered "III," and inscribed in pencil by the artist in the lower margin, recto. In v...

The Minature Print Society of Kansas City, Mo. , 1942. Etching on cream colored Japon wove paper, 2 1/4 x 2 15/16 inches (58 x 75 mm), full margins. Signed, dated and inscribed "II"...

Etching on cream wove paper 3 5/16 x 1 7/8 inches (84 x 49 mm), full margins. Signed, dated and inscribed "II" in pencil, lower margin. Likely one of eight trial proof impressions f...

Etching on thin, bluish-green cream laid paper, 9 1/4 x 4 3/4 inches (233 x 120 mm), full margins. Signed and dated in pencil, lower margin. First and only state. Printed by Frederi...

Etching on light cream wove paper, 2 5/8 x 2 11/16 inches (68 x 69 mm), full margins. Signed, titled, and inscribed "IV" in pencil, lower margin. Likely a proof impression of the t...

Etching on cream laid paper, 3 3/16 x 1 9 1/6 inches (81 x 41 mm), full margins. Signed, dated, and inscribed "II" in pencil, lower margin. From the second state (of 2) before the re...

Etching on bluish-grey wove paper, 8 5/8 x 5 1/8 inches (221 x 130 mm), full margins. Signed and dated in pencil. In good condition with light mat tone on the recto and various frame...

Etching on antique cream laid paper, 7 7/8 x 5 1/8 inches (201 x 130 mm), full margins. Edition of 150. Printed by Federick Reynolds. Signed and dated in pencil, lower right. Arms wa...

Etching on antique cream laid paper, 5 x 2 inches (127 x 52 mm), full margins. Signed and dated in pencil lower margin. From the editoin of 156, printed by Frederick Reynolds. In s...

John Taylor Arms was known for making such finely drawn etchings that commercial tools were not good enough: He regularly used sewing needles with corks for handles. Fletcher 284. Ed...

Ecthing in black ink on cream laid paper with a partial watermark, full margins. In excellent condition. A very scarce work from an edition of less than 20 impressions. Signed, date...

Enchanted Doorway, Venezia (La Porta della Carta, Venezia '29). 1930. Etching. Fletcher catalog 227 state ii. 12 3/8 x 6 9/16 (sheet 15 13/16 x 9 15/16). Edition 148 in this state (...

From the Ponte Vecchio, Florence. 1925. Etching and aquatint. Fletcher catalog 159. state ii. Image: 11 1/8 x 15 1/4 (sheet 13 3/8 x 18 1/4). Edition 160 in this state (total edition...

Artist: John Taylor Arms (American , 1887-1953) Title: Hambourg Year: 1927 Medium: Etching Edition: Unknown Paper: Thin paper Image (plate mark) size: 10.1 x 4.85 i...

'Rocamadour' (French Church Series # 10), etching, 1927, edition 50, Fletcher 186. Signed, dated, and annotated 'First State' in pencil. Titled and dated 'Rocamadour 1926' in the plate, bottom right. A superb, finely detailed impression, in dark brown ink, on buff laid Japan paper, with full margins (1 to 1 7/8 inches), in excellent condition. Image size 13 3/4 x 10 inches (349 x 254 mm); sheet size 15 3/4 x 13 5/8 inches (400 x 346 mm). Matted to museum standards, unframed. Literature: illustrated in Dorothy Noyes Arms, 'Churches of France', The Macmillan Company, 1929. Impressions of this work are in the permanent collections of the Blanton Museum of Art, Chrysler Museum of Art, Cleveland Museum of Art, Davis Museum (Wellesley), McNay Art Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design Museum, and the Whitney Museum of Art. ABOUT THE SUBJECT Rocamadour is a small clifftop village in south-central France. It is known for the Cité Réligieuse complex of religious buildings, accessed via the Grand Escalier staircase. It includes the Chapelle Notre-Dame, with its Black Madonna statue, and the Romanesque-Gothic Basilica of St-Sauveur. ABOUT THE ARTIST “John Taylor Arms will live on and on and future generations centuries from now will marvel at his work... . As a friend and as a man, he fully matched his superb work.” —John Winkler, printmaker Born in Washington, D.C. in 1887, John Taylor Arms attended the Lawrenceville School and began the study of law at Princeton University. In 1907, he transferred to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and took up the study of architecture. Arms evolved his unique drafting style, with its highly realistic, precise detail and exquisitely rendered effects of light, from his experience and practice as an architectural student. He graduated in 1911 and completed a master’s degree the following year. He then worked as a draftsman with the well-known Carrere and Hastings Company in New York. In 1913 Arms was given a hobbyist’s etching set, and he began to dabble with copperplate and acid. In 1915, after copying a handful of prints by Jongkind and other Etching Revivalists, Arms created his first original etching. His early experiments were picturesque views of European villages, reflecting the influence of Whistler. He inked and printed several of these plates in color in the manner of Charles Mielatz...

A fine impression, on cream wove paper, with full margins (5/8 to 1 3/8 inches), in excellent condition. Edition 20. Signed and dated in pencil. Annotated 'Bolton Brown...

A superb impression in warm black ink, on cream, laid paper; the full sheet with margins (1 5/8 to 2 3/4 inches); original brown paper hinges on the top sheet edge recto, in excellen...

John Taylor Arms, 'Limoges (French Church Series #32)', etching, 1932, edition 142, third (final) state impressions, Fletcher 244. Signed, dated, and annotated 'Ed 100 III' in pencil. A superb, finely detailed impression, in warm black ink, on antique, pale gray laid paper, with full margins (1 1/16 to 1 1/2 inches); adhesive stains in the bottom left and right sheet corners, well away from the image, otherwise in excellent condition. Matted to museum standards, unframed. A view of Limoges, France and the Saint-Martial Bridge from the far side of the Vienne river. According to Fletcher, author of the catalogue raisonné on the artist's graphic work, this etching is among the artist’s preferred plates. Published references: "An Appreciation to John Taylor Arms 1887-1953", in PRINT, Vol. VIII #5 P. viii, Feb.-March 1954. Impressions of this print are in the permanent collections of the Davis Museum at Wellesley College, National Gallery of Art, Saint John’s University, Smithsonian Institution, and Wake Forest University. ABOUT THE ARTIST “John Taylor Arms will live on and on and future generations centuries from now will marvel at his work... . As a friend and as a man, he fully matched his superb work.” —John Winkler, printmaker Born in Washington, D.C. in 1887, John Taylor Arms attended the Lawrenceville School and began the study of law at Princeton University. In 1907, he transferred to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and took up the study of architecture. Arms evolved his unique drafting style, with its highly realistic, precise detail and exquisitely rendered effects of light, from his experience and practice as an architectural student. He graduated in 1911 and completed a master’s degree the following year. He then worked as a draftsman with the well-known Carrere and Hastings Company in New York. In 1913 Arms was given a hobbyist’s etching set, and he began to dabble with copperplate and acid. In 1915, after copying a handful of prints by Jongkind and other Etching Revivalists, Arms created his first original etching. His early experiments were picturesque views of European villages, reflecting the influence of Whistler. He inked and printed several of these plates in color in the manner of Charles Mielatz...

This image is stamped as being rom the personal collection of Arms Referenced as Fletcher #386 the image is signed .and inscribed in pencil and is from a small edition of 16. The An...

This image was in the personal collection of the artist. The Wheeler-Beecher House, sometimes referred to as the Hoadley House, is located on Amity Road in Bethany, CT. Built at the ...

John Taylor Arms was known for making such finely drawn etchings that commercial tools were not good enough: He regularly used sewing needles with corks ...

This image is by America's greatest etcher, John Taylor Arms. The Spanish cathedral in Zamora is an impressive example of Romanesque architecture located on the hilltop by the river ...

"Church of St. Aignan Chartres" Etching in Ink on Paper (Demonstration Plate) Delicate and detailed drypoint etching of the Church of St. Aignan in Chartres, France by John Taylor Arms (American, 1887-1953). The viewer stands in an alley near the church, looking out of the shadows at the sunlit towers. The architectural details of the church are well-captured, including the texture of the stone walls, the roof, and ornamental detail. Titled, signed, dated, and inscribed along the bottom edge: Sketch, Saint Aignon, Chartres John Taylor Arms 1950 The inscription includes details about production, as well as a dedication "To my friends Georgia and Jasper Mathews, with my sincerest good wishes" Presented in a wood frame with an off-white mat. Frame size: 12.5"H x 9.25"W Image size: 7"H x 4.5"W John Taylor Arms was born in Washington, DC in 1887. He studied law at Princeton University, transferring to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, to study architecture, graduating in 1912. After serving as an officer in the United States Navy during World War I, he devoted himself full-time to etching. He published his first original etchings in 1919. His initial subject was the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City near which he worked. Arms developed a successful career as a graphic artist in the 1920s and 1930s, specializing in series of etchings of Gothic churches and cathedrals in France and Italy. In addition to medieval subjects, Arms made a series of prints of American cities. He used sewing needles and magnifying glasses to get a fine level of detail. A member of many printmaking societies, Arms served as president of the Society of American Graphic Artists. An educator, Arms wrote the Handbook of Print Making and Print Makers (1934) and did numerous demonstrations and lectures. Arms was elected into the National Academy of Design as an Associate member in 1930, and became a full member in 1933. His work was also part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1932 Summer Olympics...

Etching on antique Emberlin 1846 cream laid paper with a parial watermark of Britannia, or Seated Victory, set in a cartouche, surmounted by the Crown of England, 3 1/4 x 5 1/2 inche...

Etching on buff wove J Whatman handmade paper with a partial watermark, 3 1/2 x 1 3/4 inches (89 x 44 mm), full margins. Signed in pencil and inscribed "III" in the lower margin. A p...

Basilica of Madeleine, Vezelay Etching, 1929 Signed and dated lower right (see photo) Annotated: "Third State" lower left Printed on a sheet of old book paper From: French Church Ser...

Etching on antique cream laid paper, 10 x 14 13/16 inches (254 x 377 mm), full margins. Signed in pencil and inscribed "Ed. 100" (from a total edition of 128). Third state (of three...

Arms, John Taylor (American 1887-1953). SHADOWS OF VENICE - IL PONTE DI RIALTO, VENEZIA. Etching, 1930. Edition of 140 + 14 Artist's Proofs. 10 x 12 inches (Plate), 11 3/8 x 157/8 in...

Arms, John Taylor. PUERTA DEL OBISPO, ZAMORA (THE BISHOP'S DOOR, ZAMORA). Fletcher 266. Etching, 1933. Edition 160, of which this is likely one of the 25 p...

Arms, John Taylor (American, 1887-1953). MEMENTO VIVARE, NOTRE DAME, EVREUX. Fletcher 407. Etching, 1947. Number 47 of the French Church Series. This is Proof No. ii of four Trial Pr...

Arms, John Taylor. ARCH OF THE CONCA, PERUGIA. Etching, 1926. 10 1/4" x 14 5/8 plus margins. Framed to 18 x 22 inches. Signed in pencil and annotated "Trial Proof No. 6"; only state...

Arms, John Taylor (American, 1887-1953). DOWNTOWN, NEW YORK. F.108. Etching and Aquatint, 1921. Edition of 75. Numbered 19/75 and signed and dated 1921, all in pencil. 8 3/8 x 4 7/8 inches, 214 x 125 mm (plate) plus margins. Framed to 16 1/4 x 12 1/2 inches with the label of The Old Print Shop...

Arms, John Taylor. BEAVER HOUSE (AU NORD). Fletcher 88. Etching, 1920. And Artist's Proof, printed by Fredrick Reynolds. Signed and dated in pencil by Arms, lower right, and incscri...