Lot 5
Leonard Baskin (American, 1922-2000). "J. de Gheyn" woodcut (artist's proof) 1970. Artist's signature, "A.P." and "Leiv ens." handwritten in pencil beneath image. An evocative woodcut by famed artist Leonard Baskin portraying Jacob de Gheyn II (Dutch, 1565-1629), a painter and engraver of the Dutch Golden Age whose work shows the transition from Northern Mannerism to Dutch Realism. The intimidating figure is represented in Baskin's characteristic enormous scale with jagged and spiraling strokes that almost seem to form a continuous line drawing. Shown at three-quarters view, he gazes at the viewer with dark eyes, highlighted by streaks of ink, as an unkempt coiffure and beard frame his face and a ruff encircles his neck. This is the second time Baskin portrayed de Gheyn; the first was in 1962 as part of Baskin's series "Etchings of Ten Favorite Artists." Size of image: 13.7" W x 21.7" H (34.8 cm x 55.1 cm) Size of frame: 25.3" W x 34.2" H (64.3 cm x 86.9 cm)
Though centuries apart, Baskin's interest in De Gheyn is not surprising given the artists' shared affinity for depicting the darker side of reality and the occult.
Leonard Baskin was a 20th century "Renaissance Man" - a highly respected sculptor, printmaker, writer, and watercolorist. His prints included mythological, classical, and biblical scenes as well as portraits and floral studies. Baskin studied at Yale University from 1941 to 1943 and received his B.A. at the New School for Social Research in 1949. He also founded Gehenna Press which specialized in fine book production and taught printmaking and sculpture at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts as well as Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts from 1953 until 1974. Baskin's artworks are in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum of Modern Art, the Vatican Museum, the Smithsonian Institute, the Tate Gallery in London, and other elite institutions. His noted public sculptural commissions include pieces for the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial as well as the Holocaust Memorial in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Baskin also received many prestigious honors, such as a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Gold Medal of the National Academy of Arts and Letters, and the Jewish Cultural Achievement Award. He was also honored with numerous retrospective exhibitions at institutions including the Smithsonian Museum, the Albertina Museum, and the Library of Congress.
Baskin's "J. de Gheyn" has been collected by the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco (1991.1.196), the Auckland Art Museum of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (63.2.9), Philadelphia Museum of Art (2014-49-38), and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. (2013.121.99).
Provenance: ex-private Bishop Family Trust collection, the Trust of the late Bill Bishop, a noted antiquarian with shops in Scottsdale, Arizona and Allenspark, Colorado, USA, acquired before 2010
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#174627
- Condition: Artist's signature, "A.P." and "Leiv ens." handwritten in pencil beneath image. Set in custom matte and frame with suspension wire on verso for display. Some small nicks to frame, but image is in overall excellent condition.
Accepted Forms of Payment:
American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Shipping
Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense
Artemis Fine Arts
You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 26.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.
View full terms and conditions
| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |