White on Black by John von Wicht

White on Black by John von Wicht

White on Black

John von Wicht

Title

White on Black

 
Artist

John von Wicht

  1888 - 1970 (biography)
Year
cierca 1951 
Technique
lithograph 
Image Size
16 1/4 x 20" image 
Signature
pencil, lower right 
Edition Size
4 of 25  
Annotations
pencil titled 
Reference
 
Paper
ivory wove 
State
published 
Publisher
artist 
Inventory ID
14469 
Price
SOLD
Description

In the late 1940s Von Wicht was known for his geometric cubist works, particularly influenced by Kandinsky and the work he had seen as a young man in Germany. After moving to the US he worked in the WPA and exhibited with the American Abstract Artists group. During the 1950s, his sensuously colored geometric abstractions gave way to loose, expressionistic forms.

This lithograph uses a black background to highlight a surreal composition of geometric shapes that seem to dance on the surface and anticipates his later gestural Abstract Expressionist work. He handcolored some of the edition of 25. This was printed with Master Printer Bob Blackburn and has his chop in the margin.

In 1949 Von Wicht and Will Barnett helped Blackburn, who was the Master Printer at the Art Students League, open his own printshop in New York. The rest is printworld history.