"Pine Trees after
Snowfall," Kawase Hasui, 1929, 186/350, $3,100. Carolyn Staley
Fine Japanese Prints, Seattle.
By Carol Sims
NEW YORK CITY -- The 15th annual Works On Paper show was colorful
and jazzy like the Donald Sultan flowers in red and yellow at
Mary Ryan Gallery, New York City, and refined and muted like the
caryatid drawn by Orazio Samacchini (1532-1577) at the display of
Galerie de Bayser, Paris. The common denominator of paper left
plenty of room for variety, and New Yorkers had plenty of time to
see everything. The show opened with a benefit for the Citizens'
Committee for Children on New York, Inc on Wednesday, February
26, and ran through Sunday, March 2.
Predictably, there were many works by Mattisse and Picasso. (The
Mattisse Picasso exhibition at MoMA Queens opened prior to the
Works on Paper show). At least eight galleries brought drawings
or prints made by Mattisse and about 12 galleries hung works by
Picasso. There were many works by Miro and Chagall on the floor,
too. It was a good year to pick up a work by a European master.
Advertised as "Quality fine art at realistic prices," the show
serves our economic times and the beginning collector very well.
Here one can find hundreds, if not thousands, of original works
of art that are within most people's reach. Some works at the
show were priced under $100.
There were good values like the $3,100 Kawase Hasui wood block
print of "Pine trees after snowfall" from 1929 and costly
valuables like the $25,000 1833-4 print "Night Snow at Kambara,
Kambara Yorunayuki" by Hiroshige, both offered by Carolyn Stayley
of Seattle. The six-figure Mary Cassatt etching/aquatint at
Hirschl and Adler, while expensive, was still an excellent value
and opportunity compared to her nearly unattainable oils.
There are some artists whose best works only appear on
paper - Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec for one. The postermaker is
best known for his lithographs on paper. (Gary Bruder, of
New York City specializes in Lautrec, exclusively, and a few
other galleries brought some work by Lautrec).
There is also something kind of fun about owning a preliminary
sketch of a well-known painting. Elrich Manley Fine Art, New York
City, displayed an Edward Hopper sketch for his 1950 painting
"Cape Morning."
The hand of the artist is clearly sensed in a charcoal drawing or
watercolor. Take the John Whorf watercolors at Spanierman
Gallery, New York City -- or the Jane Peterson gouaches at Tom
Veilleux Gallery. There is an energy and vibrancy in these
spontaneous works that many collectors prize. Richard Norton,
Chicago, had three little pastel landscapes by Albert Krehbiel
that were loose and charming, and yes, humble.
Unlike specialty shows that focus on just prints, photos, books,
or even watercolors or drawings, this is the only show that
bundles all those works on paper together in one New York City
venue. Show originator Sanford Smith tries to balance these
different categories so that no one category predominates. He has
seen changes in what galleries have been bringing over the past
15 years, "In the early days there were more Old Master drawings.
Now we are seeing many more galleries bringing contemporary
work."
Tobai International, based in Chicago, sells contemporary Asian
art. Owner Andrew Bae has been doing the Works on Paper Show for
six years. He loves the access the show gives him to the New York
collector. "The show is great. What we bring is not typical -not
everyone is crazy about my work, but some welcome this new kind
of work and we have some good followers."
"The Lamp," Mary Stevenson Cassatt, 1890-91. Drypoint,
softground etching and aquatint, printed in colors, inked a la
poupee, on laid paper. Hirschl & Adler Galleries, Inc., New
York City.
Over the years the number of dealers from Europe has increased,
according to Smith. Of the 2003 show's 88 dealers, 67 are from
the United States, one is from Canada, nine are from England,
seven are from France, three from Germany and one each from the
Netherlands and Sweden.
Jane Roberts Fine Arts Limited, London, had a phenomenal show. "I
sold 20 drawings and watercolors mainly in the $2,000/5,000
range, although I sold a Millet drawing and a Rousseau watercolor
and a Decamps gouache for bigger sums (above $20,000), all
French, all by recorded artists but all fresh material, never
seen in the States before, and nicely framed. I also sold two
contemporary photos by Ronald Hurwitz who I showed in Paris in
November ($700 each). I was expecting to do nothing and was most
pleasantly surprised as it is a very tiring and expensive
operation to come from Europe," she wrote after the show. Roberts
likes the atmosphere at WOP and appreciates the camaraderie of
the exhibitors. She said the show, which is the only show she
does in the United States, "attracts nice new young clients."
The Old Print Shop, New York City, brought several prints by
Martin Lewis (1881-1962). "Rainy Day Queens," a 1931 drypoint,
showed a wet and glistening Stillman Avenue. The Old Print Shop
has represented the estate of this remarkable printmaker since
1987, and had many excellent examples of his work on hand.
Marion Meyer brought a group of spontaneous prints by Man Ray and
some interesting Francis Picabia drawings. Thomas French of
Fairlawn, Ohio, had a whole wall devoted to prints by George
Bellows. Conner Rosenkranz brought several pieces by Marion
Greenwood.
Andrea Marinkovich, co-owner of the gallery Burton Marinkovich,
brought works by Richard Diebenkorn, Helen Frankenthaler and
Wayne Thiebaud, among others. "Ochre," a 1983 woodcut by
Diebenkorn, was acquired from Kathan Brown, his publisher.
According to Marinko-vich, it had 28 separate veils of color. "I
specialize in the top end of each artist," said Marinkovich, who
has been doing the show for nine years.
"Le Reveur," Marc Chagall. Simon Capstick Dale, New York City.
Shopping Works on Paper one needs to be prepared for tremendous
variety. Reinhold Berg of Regensburg, Germany, brought a
tantalizing array botanicals, as well as beautifully conserved
old maps. Mark J. Weinbaum Fine and Vintage Posters, New York
City, had travel posters for Nantucket, Florence and other
destinations, as well as art posters for exhibitions and
performances. Ronny Cohen brought a whole booth of work by
important women artists. One fun piece was a Jennifer Bartlett
pastel from 2000 that was a colorful, textural drawing of a
tropical island.
Gordon's Art, Phoenix, brought prints of old views of New York
(circa 1765) by Pierre Charles Canot, one a southeast view of the
city and the other from the southwest. Gordon's also brought
famous sports photographs and a sweet little blue bird by Milton
Avery in 1953 that the artist printed on two sides.
Chris Beetles, London, brought exquisite Nineteenth Century
Victorian still lifes by William Henry Hunt Ows (1790-1864) and
by John Sherrin (1819-1896). Peter Fetterman, Santa Monica,
Calif., had stunning color photographs of India by Steve Mc Curry
as well as black and white photos by Henri Cartier-Bresson and
Ruth Bernhard. Gerald Peters Gallery, New York City, brought a
mixed media work by Jamie Wyeth entitled "Island Windfall."
Works on Paper is a show that offers an unusual variety, good
values on every aisle, and a great way to get started in
collecting.
