HARRIS SCHRANK FINE PRINTS » George Biddle

Coffee Huskers

Harris Schrank — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:50:45 +0000

George Biddle - Coffee Huskers

George Biddle (1885-1973), Coffee Huskers, 1928, lithograph, signed, titled and numbered [also inscribed '43/Biddle/1928 in the plate]. Reference: Pennigar 77, Trotter 43. From the edition of 100, on Rives cream wove paper, with the Rives watermark. In excellent condition, probably never framed or matted, the full sheet, 13 1/4 x 9 3/4, the sheet 16 x 11 1/2 inches, archival mounting (mylar non-attached hinging between acid free boards glassine cover).

A fine black impression.

Biddle wrote of this lithograph, in 1943: “After scraping the tusche away…I worked back with a pensil (sic) and again with diamond. This all adds to the richness of texture and color.” This work produces a very sophisticated lithographic look, akin in some ways to drypoint work in etching.

After Groton, Harvard College and Harvard Law (and several breakdowns) Biddle concluded that a conventional career in law was not for him; he decided on art, went to Paris, worked with Mary Cassatt and familiarized himself with modernist currents in art (as well as more traditional European art).

After serving in WWI, and the dissolution of his marriage, he became interested in working outside of the European tradition (although his travels continued to include Europe, and he spent a period working under the influence of Jules Pascin in Paris in the mid-‘20′s). Coffee Huskers, like many of the Mexican and Haitian prints of the late ’20′s, seems to reflect Pascin’s influence, particularly in the modernistic flattening of the perspective.

Carnival in Rio No. 4

Harris Schrank — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:13:19 +0000

George Biddle (1885-1973), Carnival in Rio No. 4, lithograph, 1947, signed and dated in pencil lower right; titled lower left [also signed and dated in the stone lower left]. Reference: Pennigar 151, only state, from the edition of 20. In good condition, with margins (remains of prior hinging verso), 10 1/2 x 11 1/4, the sheet 11 3/4 x 16 inches, not matted.

A very good impression, printed in black on wove paper.

After Groton, Harvard College and Harvard Law (and several breakdowns) Biddle decided that a conventional career in law was not for him; he decided on art, went to Paris, worked with Mary Cassatt and familiarized himself with modernist currents in art (as well as more traditional European art).

Carnival in Rio seems to reflect Pascin’s influence, particularly in the modernistic flattening of the perspective, and also in the exacting lithographic lines more characteristic of drypoint (a favorite medium for Pascin) than lithography. Indeed, the black areas of the print have the character of drypoint burr.

This print along with several other Rio subjects was based on sketches Biddle made while in Rio de Janeiro in 1942 executing a mural.

Detail

River Life, Haiti

Harris Schrank — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:15:42 +0000

George Biddle (1885-1973), River Life, Haiti, 1928, lithograph, signed and dated in pencil lower right margin, titled and numbered lower left margin. Reference: Pennigar 84, Trotter 50. From the edition of 50, on a cream wove BFK RIVES paper with their watermark. Printed by George C. Miller. In excellent condition (probably never matted or framed), slight soft folds in margins, the full sheet, 12 1/4 x 16 5/8, the sheet 16 x 20 1/2 inches, archival mounting (mounted with mylar non-attached corners between acid free mats, glassine cover).

A fine impression.

After serving in WWI, and the dissolution of his marriage, he became interested in working outside of the European tradition (although his travels continued to include Europe, and he spent a period working under the influence of Jules Pascin in Paris in the mid-20′s). River Life, Haiti reflects the time he spent with Pascin, in terms of the freedom of the composition. The composition “works” beautifully; indeed, in his later years Biddle referred to this print as “one of my most studied compositions.”

Goat Herder’s Wife

Harris Schrank — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:12:56 +0000

George Biddle (1885-1973), Goat Herder’s Wife, 1928, lithograph, signed in pencil lower right and titled and numbered (64/100) in pencil lower left margin [with the inscription "Biddle/1928" in the plate lower right] Reference: Pennigar 82, Trotter 48. Printed by George C. Miller. From the edition of 100. In excellent condition, on Rives cream wove paper, with full margins (tiny nick upper right edge); 9 1/2 x 13, the sheet 16 x 18 1/2 inches. Archival mounting (unattached mylar hinging between acid free boards, glassine cover).

A fine clear impression, in pristine condition.

After serving in WWI, and the dissolution of his marriage, he became interested in working outside of the European tradition (although his travels continued to include Europe, and he spent a period working under the influence of Jules Pascin in Paris in the mid-20′s). Goat Herder’s Wife reflects the time he spent with Pascin, expecially in terms of the modernist flatness and freedom of the composition. Biddle reached a an aesthetic high point in this and several other prints he did of Mexico and Haiti in the late ’20′s; later his work was caught up in the social realism of the ’30′s.

The Expectant Thistles

Harris Schrank — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:10:08 +0000

George Biddle (1885-1973), The Expectant Thistles, 1928, lithograph, signed and dated in pencil lower right, titled and numbered in pencil lower left [also inscribed in the plate lower left Biddle/1928/46]. References: Pennigar 80, Trotter 46, only state, from the edition of 100. Printed by George C. Miller. On cream wove Rives paper, the full sheet with deckle edges, in pristine condition (never framed or matted), 7 x 11 1/4, the sheet 11 1/2 x 15 3/4 inches. Archival mounting (mylar unattached hinging between acid free mats, glassine cover).

A fine fresh impression; a good example of Biddle’s technique of scratching and sanding the lithographic stone in order to get detailed effects (which sometimes approximated the appearance of drypoint burr in etching).

The year 1928 was important for Biddle; he made many of his greatest images of Haiti and Mexico (where he traveled with Diego Rivera) in this year.

The composition of The Expectant Thistles reflects the experience Biddle had working with Jules Pascin, who became his friend and colleague when Biddle was in Paris from 1924-6. The composition is modernist - without rigid adherence to conventional positioning and depth, and it’s witty too; while Pascin typically populated sheets such as this with nudes, Biddle turns to donkeys, and a few tiny (dressed) people as well.

Hombre! Que Sin Vergeunza!

Harris Schrank — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:41:55 +0000

George Biddle (1885-1973), Hombre! Que Sin Vergeunza!, 1928, lithograph, signed and dated in pencil lower right, titled and numbered lower left [also signed in plate lower left "Biddle/1928/44]. References: Pennigar 78, Trotter 44. Edition 100. In excellent condition (never framed, without light or time staining), with wide margins, the full sheet, 9 3/4 x 13 3/4, the sheet 15 1/2 x 20 1/2 inches. Printed by George C. Miller. On cream wove paper with the FRANCE watermark. Archival mounting (mylar unattached mounting between acid-free board).

A fine, fresh impression, in pristine condition.

According to Pennigar the title translates roughly to “Buddy! Aren’t you ashamed of yourself!” The title refers to the composition: the well-groomed man with his foot up in the carriage passes a group of naked little boys. In 1928 Biddle was immersed in issues of social class and equality (as he was for much of his life); he visited Mexico with Diego Rivera in this year, and made a number of lithographs with Mexican and Haitian subjects.

The composition of Hombre! reflects the experience Biddle had working with Jules Pascin, who became his friend and colleague when Biddle was in Paris from 1924-6. The composition is modernist – it’s flat, without rigid adherence to conventional positioning and depth, and it’s witty too.

Banana Grove

Harris Schrank — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:39:12 +0000

George Biddle (1885-1973), Banana Grove, lithograph, 1928. Signed, titled and numbered in pencil [also annotated in the plate “Biddle/1928, lower right “47). References: Pennigar 81, Trotter 47. In excellent condition, the full sheet, on cream wove BFK RIVES paper, with their (partial) watermark. 12 1/2 x 9, the sheet 20 x 16, archival mounting (non attached mylar hinging between acid free board, glassine cover).

A fine fresh rich impression in pristine condition.

After his service in WWI, and the dissolution of his marriage, he became interested in working outside of the European tradition (although his travels continued to include Europe, and he spent a period working under the influence of Jules Pascin in Paris in the mid-20′s). Banana Grove reflects the time he spent with Pascin, in terms of the freedom of the composition, and the suspension of the figures on a flat surface. It was made in 1928, the year Biddle traveled to Haiti with Diego Rivera.

Cows and Sugar Cane

Harris Schrank — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:37:50 +0000

George Biddle (1885-1973), Cows and Sugar Cane, 1928, lithograph, signed in pencil bottom right margin, titled and numbered bottom left margin [also signed and dated in the plate bottom left]. Reference: Pennigar 79, Trotter 45. From the edition of 55, on BFK RIVES wove paper (with their partial watermark), printed by George C. Miller. In excellent condition, the full sheet with wide margins (remains of old hinging margin corners verso), 11 9/16 x 7 3/4, the sheet 15 1/2 x 11 1/2 inches. Archival mounting (mylar corners on acid free board, glassine cover).

A fine black impression.

Cows and Sugar Cane, like many of the Mexican and Haitian prints of the late ’20′s, seems to reflect Pascin’s influence, particularly in the modernistic flattening of the perspective and free placement of the animals, and also in the exacting lithographic lines more characteristic of drypoint (a favorite medium for Pascin) than lithography. Indeed, the black areas of the print have the character of drypoint burr.