Cherry Bloom

 

Gustave Baumann

  1881 - 1971 (biography)

1917  

color woodcut 

9 5/8 x 11 1/4" image 

pencil, lower right 

"no. 32 of 100" within a printed block in the lower margin. 

titled, lower left; Swanli chop between first and last name; rectangular block printed "No / of 100" in lower center margin and Baumann filled in the impression number within the rectangle. 

Gustave Baumann 20 

cream Zanders laid with the Gladbach watermark. 

published 

artist 

20952 

SOLD

The locale of this woodcut is Wyoming, New York. Baumann spent the summer of 1917 in Wyoming, New York and had plans to open his Swanli Press studio. He developed his "Swanli" chop for his color woodcuts. He abandoned the Swanli chop and other experimental chops in favor of his 'Hand and Heart' chop, found on his later work.

This image is from the first printing campaign and has a solid dark border which he did not use as he became more skilled. Baumann had cut a small rectangular block that printed "No / of 100" in the lower center margin. Baumann filled in the impression number within the rectangle in pencil. He soon gave this up in favor of just pencil numbering the impression.

This impression provides insight into the development of the artist as a printmaker as he is constantly searching for ways to create the best print he can. Since he was both the carver and the printer he could change, even within the edition.