At the Jazzband Ball
Wood engraving, 1935-39, eition about 25. 8 1/8 x 6 1/8 in. Signed in the block in the upper left corner. Signed and titled in pencil. This is a superb impression in fine condition. The margins are full.
SOLD

Beal Street Blues
Wood engraving, 1935-39, edition about 25. 8 x 6 in. Signed in the block, lower right. Signed and titled in pencil. This is a superb impression in fine condition. The margins are full. This print bears the stamp, "Federal Art Project, NYC WPA." An impression of this exemplary work is found at the Art institute of Chicago and another is at the New York Public Library.
SOLD

Birth of John Henry
Wood engraving, 1935-39, from and edition of about 25. 6 1/8 x 4 1/2 in. Signed in the block, lower left corner. Signed and titled in pencil. This is a fine impression with full margins. Fine condition. This is from the series, "The Legend of John Henry," created for the NYC WPA. Ex-collection: Audrey McMahon (1898-1981) Director of the New York WPA art project. Ex-collection: Keith Sheridan Fine Prints. An impression of this print is in the New York Public Library.
$1,200

City of Smiles
Wood engraving, 1935-39, edition about 25. 7 7/8 x 6 in. Initialed in the block, lower right. Signed in pencil. The title is engraved just below the image in capital letters. This is a stellar impression with full margins. The condition is fine apart from three small glue spots on the verso which show through slight on the recto. This impression bears the stamp, "Federal Art Project, NYC, WPA." An impression is found in the Detroit Institute of Arts.
$2,000

Dancer
Engraving, 1941, edition 20. 7 1/8 x 5 in. Signed, titled and dated in pencil. Here we have a fine, delicate impression with full margins. The condition is excellent. This engaging, surrealist work was done just subsequent to Becker's WPA period which was 1935-1939. He joined the Hayter studio in New York in 1940.
SOLD

New York Landscape
Wood engraving, 1936, edition about 25. 7 3/4 x 5 in. Signed and dated in the block, lower left. Signed and titled in pencil. This is a fine, crisp impression of this engaging work. The details are amazing and these works by Becker are unique for the WPA period. An impression is located in the New York Public Library.
$1,800

Public Building
Wood engraving, 1936, edition about 25; this impression inscribed 6 1/8 x 8 1/8 in. Signed, dated and titled in pencil. Here we have a fine, rich impression printed on thin japan paper. The condition is very good apart from foxing in the upper margin not affecting the image. An impression is in the New York Public Library.
$1,800

The City of Tomorrow
Wood engraving, 1935-39, edition about 25. 6 1/8 x 8 1/8 in. Initialed in the block, lower right. Signed and titled in pencil. Here we have a fine impression printed on thin wove paper. The margins appear to be full and the condition is fine. This complex and entertaining print is among the best of his city scenes.
SOLD

The Drummer
Wood engraving, 1935-39, edition about 25. 8 1/8 x 6 in. Initialed in the block, lower right. Signed and titled in pencil. This is a superb impression of this compelling early work. The condition is fine and the margins are full. An impression of this print is in the collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts.
$2,000

Trombone Player
Wood engraving, 1937, edition probably about 25. 4 15/16 x 7 3/4 in. Signed in the block and signed and titled in in pencil. This is a fine impression in very good condition. The margins are full. (There's a faint soft crease in the extreme upper right corner of the image.) This print bears the stamp of the NYC WPA Federal Art Project (verso). Becker was employed by the program from 1935-39 and this print was based on his visits to New York jazz clubs during the period. He produced a few other somewhat surreal images of musicians and these are now uncommon. From about 1940 onward, his work became much more abstract as he came under the influence of S.W. Hayter and the Atelier 17 mindset.
SOLD

Trombone Player
Wood engraving, 1935-39, edition about 25 5 x 7 7/8 in. Signed in the block, lower left. Signed and titled in pencil. This is a superb impression with full margins. Excellent condition. This impression bears the stamp of the "Federal Art Project, NYC, WPA." Impressions are located in the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the University of Michigan Museum of Art and the New York Public Library.
$1,800