Transition by John von Wicht

Transition by John von Wicht

Transition

John von Wicht

Please call us at 707-546-7352 or email artannex@aol.com to purchase this item.
Title

Transition

 
Artist

John von Wicht

  1888 - 1970 (biography)
Year
c. 1955  
Technique
color lithograph 
Image Size
27 1/4 x 18 3/4" image 
Signature
pencil, lower right 
Edition Size
3 of 10  
Annotations
title, edition, "8 colors" ll, "sample 61 5 prints in red" bottom center margin, 
Reference
 
Paper
cream wove 
State
published 
Publisher
artist 
Inventory ID
13527 
Price
$1,500.00 
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 an interplay, a transition, between forms and color, a composition of geometric shapes that seem to dance on the surface and anticipates his later gestural Abstract Expressionist work. Von Wicht printed a second edition of this print in black and white. Both editions were printed collaborating with Master Printer Bob Blackburn.

Abstract prints were not well accepted in the 1950s and von Wicht, like many of his contemporaries, did not print large editions, in this case only 10 impressions. The artist's motivation was the exploration of the medium rather than creating a commerical "success".

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 print world history.

 

Please call us at 707-546-7352 or email artannex@aol.com to purchase this item.