Sunday Farmers (Zondagsboeren)
ANTOON HERCKENRATH
Belgian, (1907-1977)
Woodcut, 1943, Jakob Smits Museum retrospective #10, edition 25. 15 3/4 x 14 5/8 in. Initialed in the block, lower left. Signed, titled and numbered below the image. This is a superb impression with full margins. The condition is excellent. The title refers to the people who ardently take care of their gardens after work and on the weekends. This large, wartime work is represented in the Plantin Moretus Museum in Antwerp.
$2,400

Old Romanticism (Oude Romantiek)
ANTOON HERCKENRATH
Belgian, (1907-1977)
Engraving, 1958, Jakob Smits Museum retrospective #37, edition 25. 8 1/8 x 9 3/8 in. Signed, dated, titled and numbered in pencil. Initialed in the plate lower left. This is a fine impression in excellent condition. The margins are full. This engaging image celebrates the great sailing ships from earlier days and diverse cultures around the world.
$550

Drunken Cossack (Dronken Kozak)
ANTOON HERCKENRATH
Belgian, (1907-1977)
Etching, 1936, Jakob Smits Museum retrospective #43, edition probably 25. 11 7/8 x 9 1/2 in. Initialed and dated in the plate, lower right. Signed and titled in pencil. The print is also inscribed as an artist's proof ("ép d'art.") This compelling image is beautifully drawn on copper. Angular distortions of the architecture reinforce the inebriated state of the subject.
$700

Tunisian Dancer (Tunesische Danseres)
ANTOON HERCKENRATH
Belgian, (1907-1977)
Engraving, 1944, Not listed in the Jakob Smits Museum Retrospective catalogue, edition probably 25. 6 3/8 x 4 1/4 in. Initialed in the block, lower right. Signed, dated and titled in pencil. This is also described as a trial proof "proefdruk" with an additional pencil dedication in the lower margins. Herckenrath had a large library and read many books on other civilizations. He was inspired by exotic subjects.
$650

The Uncrowned King (De Ongekroonde Konig)
ANTOON HERCKENRATH
Belgian, (1907-1977)
Woodcut, 1941, Not listed in the Jakob Smits Museum Retrospective catalogue, edition probably 25. 13 x 10 in. Initialed in the block, lower left. Signed, dated and titled in pencil. Also, inscribed, "proefdruk." This is a superb impression of this exemplary Belgian wartime, expressionist woodcut. The margins are full and the condition is fine. In Flanders, "an "ongekroonde konig" is someone who acts like a king, or even a tyrant, in his own territory or sphere of influence. Herckenrath was ecologically minded and he detested the misuse of power, particularly with regards to the natural world.
$2,000

Mysticism (Mystiek)
ANTOON HERCKENRATH
Belgian, (1907-1977)
Woodcut, 1952, Not listed in the Jakob Smits Museum Retrospective catalogue, edition probably 25. 15 x 11 3/8 in. Initialed in the block, lower left. Signed, dated and titled in pencil. This is a trial proof and is so inscribed. The margins are full and the condition is very good apart from slight toning within an early mat opening. There's a complex narrative regarding this compelling family portrait. The Herckenraths had one daughter, Mariette, who died at a young age. This print appears to express a state between heaven (the stars), and earth; butterflies, flowers, a river, etc. which might refer to a stage between heaven and earth. This is a highly personal narrative to say the least. (I'm grateful to a friend of the artist in Belgium for assisting me in the explanation of this print. His parents were very close friends of the artist and this stellar group of Herckenrath prints are directly from this source.)
$1,800

Swans (Zwaanen)
DIRK HOMBERG
Dutch, (1885-1952)
Lithograph, circa 1930, edition probably about 50. 11 1/4 x 7 1/2 in. Signed and titled in ink. A fine impression with narrow margins. The condition is fine overall. Homberg studied in Rotterdam. He was also a painter with a wide-ranging choice of subjects.
$350

Scène de Cirque (Circus Scene)
FLORIS JESPERS
Belgian, (1889-1965)
Etching, 1930, Carpentier-Lebeer 33, edition 100. 11 5/8 x 9 1/4 in. Signed in the plate. Signed and numbered in pencil. This is a superb impression printed on cream wove paper. The margins are full. The condition is excellent. Jespers is one of the preeminent Belgian avant garde, modernist printmakers of the 1920s-1930s. He was good friends with the poet Paul van Ostaijen and contributed to the publications Ca Ira, Le Centaure and Sélection, among others. His produced several outstanding clown images during this period and collectively they represent a dynamic chapter in the development of modern Belgian printmaking.
$1,800

Clown et Accordéon
FLORIS JESPERS
Belgian, (1889-1965)
Etching, 1928, Carpentier-Lebeer 32, edition 100. 9 1/4 x 5 3/4 in. Signed and dated in the plate, lower left. Signed, titled and numbered in pencil below the image. This is a fine impression in fine condition. Full margins. This is a fine example from his celebrated series of clown prints. Many oils were done in addition to the prints and several impressions were hand colored by the artist.
$1,400

Clown jean (Clown assis)
FLORIS JESPERS
Belgian, (1889-1965)
Etching, 1927-28, Carpentier-Lebeer 8, edition 100. 10 1/2 x 8 1/16 in. Signed in the plate and signed, titled and numbered in pencil. This is a fine impression in fine condition. The margins are full. Jespers liked to print on a fine cream colored wove paper. The artist actively exhibited his prints throughout his life and most of them are from the 1920s to mid 1930s. He did a small group of lithographs and woodcuts as well.
$1,600

Dutch Town View
GERM DE JONG
Dutch, (1886-1967)
Lithograph, 1916, edition unknown. 12 1/2 x 7 3/4 in. Signed on the stone and signed and dated in pencil. This is a very good impression other than a couple minor printing creases which are barely noticeable. Narrow margins. De Jong was a fine lithographer as well as a painter. Town views such as this are typical and this is an early work.
$500

Canal de Holland, près de Rotterdam (Canal in Holland, Near Rotterdam)
JOHAN BARTHOLD JONGKIND
Dutch, (1819-1891)
Etching, 1875, Melot J19 (iii/VI), edition unknown. 6 1/4 x 9 3/8 in. Signed and dated in the plate,lower right. This is a superb, luminous impression of this early state. The paper is a sturdy white laid bearing a partial illegible watermark. The margins are full with a deckle edge on all sides. The condition is excellent. Jongkind studied in the Hague and spent much of his time in Paris where he was a student of Eugène Isabey. He was friendly with Sisley, Boudin and also Monet and he quickly began to excel as a painter in the impressionist style. His etchings are quite painterly and early impressions such as this one convey his best achievements as a fine and underrated etcher.
$2,000

The Troubadour (Le Troubadour)
MAURICE LANGASKENS
Belgian, (1884-1946)
Etching printed in colors with additional hand-coloring, 1920s, edition 150. 15 5/8 x 19 5/8 in. Signed and titled in pencil. This is a fine impression printed on off-white wove paper. The condition is very good apart from minor toning on the verso and a few spots of ink here and there, not affecting the front of the sheet. The margins are wide and possibly full. This large, dramatic work shows Langaskens at his best; a memorable composition, technical finesse and subtle use of color. There was an important 2003 exhibition and catalogue on the artist by Jan Dewilde, and others, and much of the work was from the Flanders Fields Museum in Belgium and other Belgian collections. No proper catalogue on the prints currently exists but most are listed in this publication. (ISBN 90-5349-480-4)
$1,750

Men Scything (Les Faucheurs)
PAUL-AUGUSTE MASUI-CASTRIQUE
Belgian, (1888-1981)
Lithograph, 1930s, edition 50 9 x 8 5/8 in. Signed in pencil, lower right. This is a fine dark impression printed on VAN GELDER ZONEN cream laid paper. The margins are full and the condition is excellent. This print is from the set of six lithographs called "Les Faucheurs". Masui-Castrique was a stellar draughtsman and was essentially self-taught as a painter and printmaker. He was active as an illustrator for such works as La Legende de Thyl Ulenspiegel and La Vielle Flandre. Furthermore, on the diplomatic front, he was the Belgian ambassador to London from 1915-1919. Other works from this series are currently available.
$450

Don Juan
FOKKO MEES
Dutch, (1887-1968)
Wood engraving, 1930s, edition 30. 7 1/4 x 5 1/8 in. Signed in the block and signed and titled in pencil. A fine impression in fine condition with full margins. A very American-like image by Mees. He excelled in blockprints in both large and small formats.
$500

Eve's Apple (Eva's Appel)
JORIS MINNE
Belgian, (1897-1988)
Woodcut, probably 1930s-1940s, edition 150. 10 x 6 in. Initialed in the block, lower right. Signed, titled and numbered in pencil. This is a fine impression in excellent condition. The margins are full. Minne was born in Ostend. He was one of the five principal artists who illustrated "Lumiere" which was first published in Antwerp in 1919. The other artists were: Frans Masereel, Jan Cantré, Henri van Straten and Jozef Cantré. Together they founded Les Cinq (The Five). Minne was one of the preeminent blockprint aritsts in Belgium during this period. He took up sculpture after 1940.
$500

Summer
SIMON MOULIJN
Dutch, (1866-1948)
Lithograph, 1902, Kappers 20, edition 20. 6 7/8 x 9 3/4 in. Signed and dated on the stone and signed in pencil. A fine impression printed on chine colle. Full margins. Minor staining in the margins including two tiny specks just outside of image on left.
$500

Garden in Laren (Tuin in Laren)
SIMON MOULIJN
Dutch, (1866-1948)
Lithograph, 1897, Kappers 7, edition probably 25. 8 5/8 x 12 3/8 in. Initialed and dated on the stone. Signed and numbered in pencil. This is a fine impression printed on a light grey chine appliqué. The margins are full and the condition is quite good apart from minor toning in the right margin. This early work exemplifies Moulijn's great skills as a draughtsman as well as his sensitivity to the medium of lithography. He specialized in poetic, tranquil landscapes and produced about two hundred prints during his career. He was active as a professor in Rotterdam and also published a book on lithography, De Lithografische Prentkunst," in 1918.
$675

Wilgen en Populieren (Willows and Poplars)
SIMON MOULIJN
Dutch, (1866-1948)
Lithograph , 1921, Kappers 87, edition only 16. 12 x 14 1/4 in. Signed and dated on the stone. Signed and numbered in pencil. This is a superb, luminous impression printed on Japanese paper. The margins are full and the condition is excellent. This large, engaging work exemplifies Moulijn's great skills as a draughtsman as well as his subtle command of the medium of lithography. He specialized in poetic, tranquil landscapes and produced about two hundred prints during his career. He was active as a professor in Rotterdam and also published a book on lithography, "De Lithografische Prentkunst," in 1918.
$850

Edam. De Kwakelbrug
WOJ NIEUWENKAMP
Dutch, (1874-1950)
Etching, 1903, Nieuwenkamp E69, edition probably 50 plus several artist's proofs. 7 x 11 1/8 in. Signed in the plate and also signed and titled in pencil. Inscribed "epreuve d'artiste." A fine impression in very good condition. Minor stain in sky. Wide margins.
$1,200