Houses by Maurice Lapp

Houses by Maurice Lapp

Houses

Maurice Lapp

Title

Houses

 
Artist

Maurice Lapp

  1925 - 2014 (biography)
Year
c. 1960  
Technique
ink and pigment on paper 
Image Size
19 11/16 x 27 1/2" image and paper size 
Signature
ink, lower right 
Edition Size
 
Annotations
annotated "66" and "Houses" on verso 
Reference
 
Paper
heavy, antique-white wove 
State
 
Publisher
 
Inventory ID
20349 
Price
SOLD
Description

An early abstraction by Northen California artist Maurice Lapp. Lapp uses a dark background on which he paints rectangular and square shapes in red, white and gray and green lines. The overall effect is perhaps inspired by the great Italian printmaker Giovanni Piranesi, whose architectural etchings of ancient Rome and the Prisons have engaged other artists for centuries.

The "houses" emerge from the backgound and recede again. They could be ancient ruins or a modern housing structure. Viewed in another way it could have been inspired by an aerial view of streets, roofs, parks etx.

In the final anaysis the painting is a composition, meant to engage and tantalize the viewer's curiosity. Its effect, if any, it up to that viewer.