GUSTAVE BAUMANN
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GUSTA VE BA U M A N N
G E R A L D P ET E R S GA L L E R Y ® 1005 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 Tel 505-954-5700 | www.gpgallery.com
E AR L Y W O R K AND IL L U STR ATIONS While Gustave Baumann was born in Germany in 1881, he devoted his life to creating art that celebrated the landscape and culture of his second home, the United States. Baumann emigrated from Germany with his family at the age of ten, and settled in the industrial metropolis of Chicago. Despite a somewhat challenging upbringing in the city, Baumann always sought after opportunities to be close to art. He learned wood working at the hand of his father, ran errands for an engraver’s studio, and attended art classes whenever and wherever possible. In 1905, Baumann saved up enough money to travel to Munich and truly immerse himself in his artistic training. It was in Munich that Baumann learned the trade that would be his artistic legacy, woodblock printing. Unlike the delicate watercolor washes of the Japanese print tradition, popularized by masters like Hokusai, the Munich tradition relied upon heavy flat blocks of color. Differing from etching, engraving, and other forms of intaglio printing, woodblock printing is a method of relief printing—the design is raised above the background and ink is applied to the raised surface, rather than into the groves as intaglio methods. Baumann described the process, saying “Draw directly on the block whatever you want then cut away whatever you don’t want and print what is left.” While some artists outsourced the carving or printing during this process, Baumann personally carried out each step of this tedious procedure. Upon returning from Munich, Baumann struggled to provide for his family, engaging in commercial art as a necessity. A few years later, Baumann found a retreat from the urban bustle of Chicago, in rustic Brown County, Indiana. Inspired by the rolling hills and idyllic small towns, Baumann found time to experiment with his own art. The muted palette, strong outlines, and soft contours of these early pieces are reminiscent of the Munich style that marked his early training. In addition to works like Mathis Alley and The Print Shop, which were directly inspired by Baumann’s time in small town Indiana, pieces like Children in Stream come out of his commercial illustrative work.
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The Big Day woodblock print, second state, 23/125, 6 ¾ x 9 ⅛ inches 5
Fishing Hut on the North Shore woodblock print, 7 x 7 inches
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Harden Hollow woodblock print, 19 ⅝ x 26 ⅜ inches 7
Harden Hollow woodblock print, 38/125, 9 ⅛ x 11 ⅛ inches 8
The Landmark woodblock print, 96/100, 10 ⅞ x 9 ⅞ inches 9
Mathis Alley woodblock print, 9 ⅛ x 13 ⅛ inches
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The Mill Pond woodblock print, 24 ⅜ x 33 ¾ inches 11
October Night woodblock print, first state, 31/125, 9 ½ x 11 ⅛ inches
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Plum and Peach Bloom woodblock print, 19 ⅝ x 26 ½ inches 13
Print of Book Cover Plate (Children in Stream) / August woodblock print, 7 ⅞ x 6 ¼ inches 14
The Print Shop woodblock print, 9 x 13 ¼ inches
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The Questionnaire woodblock print, 6/100, 9 ½x 11 ¼ inches 16
Road to Town woodblock print, second state, 33/125, 9 ⅝ x 11 ⅛ inches 17
Summer Breeze woodblock print, 70/100, 11 x 10 inches 18
Summer Shadows woodblock print, 40/125, 9 ½ x 11 ⅛ inches 19
Town Gossip woodblock print, 9 ⅛ x 13 ⅛ inches
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The Dooryards woodblock print, 9 x 13 inches
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The Swimming Pool woodblock print, 9 x 13 â…› inches
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Wash Barnes Cabin woodblock print, 19 ½ x 26 ⅜ inches 23
Way of the Year woodblock print, 2/125, 10 ⅞ x 9 ⅞ inches 24
The Packard August 1914 Calendar woodblock print, 11 ⅛ x 8 ¼ inches 25
FLORALS Throughout his career Baumann created prints solely or peripherally focused on the beauty of the flora surrounding him. Ranging from traditional depictions like Oval Floral (Marigolds) to more experimental works like Tares, Baumann investigated a myriad of compositions and colors to capture the flowers that held such a fascination for him. One theme that runs through a majority of Baumann’s floral works, and many of his landscapes is the blossoming of the fruit trees in spring. Visually vibrant, these symbols of spring prove to be particularly powerful when placed within the context of the otherwise stark landscape of the Southwest, as seen in works like Green Gate Orchard and Spring Serenade. Regardless of subject matter, Baumann always had an eye for the aesthetic and beautiful—of which this collection of floral prints is a stunning example.
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Apple Blossoms woodblock print, 9 ½ x 11 ¼ inches 27
April woodblock print with aluminum leaf, 27/120, 13 x 12 â…ž inches
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April, #102 original woodblock, 12 ⅞ x 12 ¾ inches inscribed on verso: #102 – APRIL – BLACK / MAY 1930 29
The Bishops Apricot woodblock print, 71/125, 6 ⅛ x 7 ⅝ inches
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Cherry Bloom woodblock print, 49/100, 9 ⅝ x 11 ¼ inches
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From Hillside Gardens woodblock print, second state, 45/125, 12 ž x 12 � inches 32
Green Gate Orchard woodblock print, RC, 7/125, 9 ½ x 11 ⅛ inches 33
Morning Sun woodblock print, third state, 132/over, 10 ž x 9 ž inches 34
Oval Floral (Marigolds) woodblock print, 21 ⅝ x 17 ¾ inches 35
Rose Farm woodblock print, 10/100, 9 ⅜ x 11 ¼ inches 36
Spring - Tesuque Valley woodblock print, first state, 19/125, 12 ⅞ x 12 ¾ inches 37
Spring Blossoms woodblock print, first state, 8/130, 12 ¼ x 13 ⅛ inches 38
Spring Serenade woodblock print, first state, 49/120, 9 â…œ x 11 Âź inches 39
Tares woodblock print, first state, 7/125, 12 ⅝ x 12 ½ inches 40
Tulips woodblock print with aluminum leaf, 6/120, 13 x 12 ¾ inches 41
Zinnias #95 original woodblock, 12 ¾ x 12 ¾ inches inscribed on verso: #95 ZINNIAS - SILVER 42
SO UTH W E ST AND P U E BL O SCE NES Feeling constrained by city life, and having drawn everything he could from the rural countryside surrounding Chicago—Baumann felt the ever growing urge to move west. Baumann was particularly drawn to New Mexico, which his colleagues Walter Ufer and Victor Higgins lauded and urged him to explore. After a few years of planning, Baumann headed west in 1918 and never looked back. After spending his initial summer in Taos, with the vibrant art colony there, Baumann traveled to Santa Fe and found there the home he had been searching for. Baumann’s time in New Mexico and the surrounding region proved revolutionary for his style. Abandoning the muted tones and rigid lines of his earlier prints, the Southwest inspired a brighter and bolder style. In prints like Beginning of the Fiesta and Eagle Ceremony at Tesuque, Pueblo Baumann depicts the cultural phenomenon unique to the region, a subject which he returned to throughout his career. As exemplified by many of the prints in this section, Baumann also found inspiration in his immediate surroundings of the Santa Fe and Taos landscapes. Baumann continued to depict and explore the landscape, people, and distinct culture of the Southwest, until his death in Santa Fe in 1971.
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Arroya Chamisa woodblock print, third state, 116/125, 9 ⅜ x 11 ⅛ inches 44
Beginning of the Fiesta woodblock print, 55/125, 7 ⅜ x 6 ⅛ inches 45
Bound for Taos woodblock print, seond state, 40/125, 9 ½ x 11 inches 46
Bright Angel Trail woodblock print, 22/120, 9 ½ x 11 ¼ inches 47
Bright Angel Trail woodblock print, second state, 30/125, 9 ½ x 11 Ÿ inches 48
Cedar - Grand CaĂąon woodblock print, second state, 55/125, 13 x 13 inches 49
Chile con Cabra woodblock print, 2/100, 6 x 7 â…? inches 50
Cholla and Sahuaro woodblock print, third state, 109/125, 12 ž x 12 ž inches 51
Church Ranchos de Taos woodblock print, 61/100, 9 ½ x 11 ¼ inches 52
Cliff Dwellings woodblock print, 73/125, 7 ¼ x 6 ¼ inches 53
Corn Dance - Santa Clara woodblock print, 74/125, 5 ⅞ x 7 ½ inches
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Day of the Deer Dance woodblock print, 22/100, 19 ⅛ x 21 ½ inches 55
Desert woodblock print, 14/100, 6 x 7 ½ inches
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Desert Creatures woodblock print with aluminum leaf, 52/100, 10 â…› x 15 inches
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Desert Gossip woodblock print, first state, 5/125, 4 Âź x 4 Âź inches 58
Desert Interlude woodblock print, first state, 11/125, 4 Âź x 4 Âź inches 59
Eagle Ceremony at Tesuque Pueblo woodblock print, 6 ⅜ x 6 ⅜ inches 60
El Pasado woodblock print, 4/100, 10 ¾ x 9 ⅝ inches 61
El Santo woodblock print, third state, 46/125, 9 ½ x 11 ⅛ inches 62
El Velorio woodblock print, 41/100, 8 ⅛ x 8 ¼ inches 63
Grand Canyon woodblock print, 102/125, 12 ¾ x 12 ¾ inches 64
Harvest in Taos woodblock print, first state, 4/125, 9 ½ x 11 inches 65
La Loma Taos woodblock print, 26/100, 9 ½ x 11 ⅛ inches 66
Malapai woodblock print, second state, 29/125, 9 Âź x 11 â…› inches 67
Malapai and White Sands woodblock print with aluminum leaf, 10 x 15 inches
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Morning in Mexico woodblock print, second state, 5/125, 12 ⅜ x 13 ⅜ inches 69
Night of the Fiesta - Taos woodblock print, 47/125, 5 ⅞ x 7 ½ inches 70
Old Santa Fe woodblock print, 87/100, 6 x 7 â…? inches 71
Palo Verde and Ocotea woodblock print, second state, 51/125, 9 ½ x 11 Ÿ inches 72
Past History woodblock print, second state, 7/125, 9 ¼ x 10 ¾ inches 73
The Patio (Watch at the Gate) woodblock print, 12/100, 9 ½ x 11 ¼ inches 74
Pecos Valley woodblock print, second state, 58/125, 9 ⅜ x 11 ⅛ inches 75
Pines - Grand Canyon woodblock print, 17/120, 13 x 12 â…ž inches 76
Primitive Domesticity woodblock print, 13/120, 8 Âź x 8 Âź inches 77
Pinon - Grand Cañon woodblock print, 3/100, 12 ¾ x 12 ¾ inches 78
Pinon Grand Canyon original woodblock, 12 ⅝ x 12 ⅝ inches inscribed on verso: #41 PINON GRAND CANYON / COLOR WOODBLOCK BY / GUSTAVE BAUMANN 79
Quiet Corner woodblock print, second state, 51/125, 7 ½ x 8 ½ inches 80
Rain woodblock print, first state, 14/125, 8 x 8 â…› inches 81
Ranchos de Taos woodblock print, second state, 46/125, 9 ½ x 11 Ÿ inches 82
Rio Pecos woodblock print, second state, 43/125, 10 ¾ x 9 ¾ inches 83
Rio Tesuque woodblock print, 70/125, 9 ⅜ x 11 inches 84
San Domingo Pueblo woodblock print, 60/125, 7 ⅜ x 6 ⅛ inches 85
San Geronimo - Taos woodblock print, 54/125, 7 â…› x 6 inches 86
San Miguel de Santa Fe woodblock print, first state, 55/125, 8 x 8 inches 87
Sanctuario - Chimayo woodblock print, 113/125, 7 ⅜ x 6 ¼ inches 88
Strangers from Hopi Land woodblock print, second state, 19/125, 10 ž x 9 ž inches 89
Summer Clouds woodblock print, third state, 97/125, 10 ¾ x 9 ⅝ inches 90
Summer Rain woodblock print, RC, 47/50, 9 ¼ x 11 inches 91
Superstition Mountains woodblock print, first state, 53/125, 8 â…› x 8 â…› inches 92
Talaya Peak woodblock print, third state, 76/120, 9 ⅜ x 11 inches 93
Talpa Chapel woodblock print, 87/125, 5 ⅞ x 7 ½ inches 94
Taos Patio woodblock print, 113/125, 5 ⅞ x 7 ½ inches 95
Taos Placita woodblock print, second state, 80/125, 9 ⅜ x 11 ⅛ inches 96
Tent Rock Trail woodblock print, 10 ¾ x 9 ¾ inches 97
Wild Horse Mesa woodblock print, second state, 46/120, 12 ž x 12 ž inches 98
Wild Horse Mesa, #87
Wild Horse Mesa, #87
original woodblock, 12 ⅞ x 12 ¾ inches inscribed on verso: #87 – WILD HORSE MESA / (HORSE MESA) / COLOR WOODBLOCK BY / GUSTAVE BAUMANN
original woodblock, 12 ¾ x 12 ¾ inches inscribed on verso: #87 – WILD – ORANGE / (HORSE MESA)
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White Desert woodblock print, first state, 14/125, 9 ½ x 11 ⅛ inches 100
A Recording of Cave Drawings in Frijoles Canyon, They Were Still Intact When I First Saw Them in 1918 woodblock print, 6 ½ x 19 ¾ inches 101
Frijoles Canyon Pictographs woodblock print, 46/125, 10 ⅝ x 20 ½ inches
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Wings of Prophesy woodblock print, second state, 56/125, 9 ¾ x 12 ½ inches
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ST I L L L IF E S, STU D IE S, AND ABSTRA CTIONS While Baumann is renowned for his landscapes, florals, and depictions of the Southwest, like many artists he also experimented with representation and abstraction. Many of the themes and styles used here are a departure from Baumann’s traditional landscape scenes. Abstracted prints, like Waiting to Be Counted, Torrey Pine, Winter Ceremony and Hidden Meaning, include freeform shapes, distortions, and planar elements. Though he never maintained or fully developed this abstract style, he cultivated a respect for abstract artists such as Paul Klee and their developing nonobjective styles. Baumann’s dabbling in abstract art likely grew out of his interest in Native American motifs and children’s art and illustration. The abstract prints in this section are exploratory works, and thus illustrate an important period in Baumann’s artistic career. Additionally, the still life pieces such as Playroom Symposium, Princeton Carrilon, Almost a Still Life, and Marionettes, among others, establish his fondness for children’s art. Two pervasive elements in these works are the depiction of animals and toys. From the cat in Almost a Still Life, to the birds in Tree Party, these works are studies of playful items that appeal to children. The details in the works of this section focus on text, design, and illustration, originating from his roots as a graphic designer.
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Almost a Still Life woodblock print, first state, 1/125, 8 ⅞ x 9 ⅛ inches 105
Hidden Meaning woodblock print, 3/100, 12 x 12 â…ž inches
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Hidden Meaning, #150 original woodblock, 12 ¾ x 12 inches inscribed on verso: #150 HIDDEN MEANING (GREY) 107
Winter Ceremony woodblock print with aluminum leaf, first state, 2/125, 7 â…ž x 8 â…› inches 108
Night Ceremony woodblock print with aluminum leaf, first state, 26/125, 8 Âź x 8 Âź inches 109
Geographical Treatise Together with Greetings from Jane and Gustave Baumann woodblock print, 8 ž x 11 ⅛ inches 110
Playroom Symposiu woodblock print, 11 ⅛ x 10 ⅛ inches 111
Princeton Carrilon woodblock print, first state, 26/125, 10 â…œ x 9 ½ inches 112
Signs of the Eighties woodblock print, first state, 7/125, 8 x 8 â…› inches 113
Torrey Pine woodblock print, first state, 18/125, 12 x 12 ž inches 114
Teatro Torito woodblock print, 8 x 6 ¾ inches 115
Tree Party woodblock print, 8 ⅛ x 7 ⅞ inches 116
Waiting to be Counted, 1954 woodblock print with aluminum leaf, second state, 58/125, 12 ž x 15 ⅞ inches 117
Wide and Broad woodblock print, 7 ⅞ x 7 ½ inches 118
Marionettes woodblock print, first state, 10/100, 8 â…› x 8 â…› inches 119
L AN DS C A P E S AND TR E E S Landscapes predominated many of Gustave Baumann’s prints throughout his career, chronicling the wide variety of places he worked and visited. After living in the Midwest early in his life, Baumann traveled farther west, and spent time in New Mexico, California, Arizona, and Texas. In contrast to the urban Chicago lifestyle of his past, in his later years Baumann dedicated himself to living simply. He soaked up the natural vistas in the West, and delighted in transforming vignettes of the rich landscape around him into novel and expressive prints. An explorer by nature, in the West he sought out canyons and forests to serve as inspiration. Baumann’s landscapes of California, and the East Coast benefit from the use of a lower horizon line, which grounds the immense trees and allows them to become striking focal points. In contrast, his New Mexican landscapes typically utilize a high horizon line, corresponding to the vast and tall mountainous terrain. In addition to conventional landscapes, Baumann frequently depicted trees as the centerpiece of his prints; Oaks, Aspens, Sycamores, Cedars, and blossoming trees envelop his compositions, their limbs and leaves spilling out into the corners of the prints. Baumann used a variety of artistic techniques to render the natural world; however, arguably it was his depiction of trees, which contributed most to his ability to define, identify, and describe the individual character of the rich landscapes he encountered.
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Aspen on the March woodblock print, 1/125, 12 ⅝ x 12 ⅝ inches 121
Aspen Money, #98 original woodblock, 12 ⅞ x 12 ⅞ inches inscribed on verso: #98 ASPEN MONEY / (EL RITA CANYON) / COLOR WOODBLOCK BY / GUSTAVE BAUMANN 122
Aspen - Red River woodblock print, 100/125, 9 ⅛ x 10 ⅞ inches 123
Aspen - Summer woodblock print, second state, 14/125, 9 ½ x 11 ¼ inches 124
Aspen Thicket woodblock print, second state, 46/125, 10 ¾ x 9 ⅝ inches 125
Autumnal Glory woodblock print, third state, 97/125, 13 x 12 â…ž inches 126
Big Timber Upper Pecos woodblock print, second state, 56/125, 9 ⅛ x 11 ⅛ inches 127
Coast Range woodblock print, 14/120, 9 ½ x 11 ⅜ inches 128
Cottonwoods woodblock print, 30/120, 10 ⅝ x 9 ⅜ inches 129
Early Spring woodblock print, second state, 12/125, 9 â…œ x 11 Âź inches 130
El Rito Cañon woodblock print, 5/120, 12 ¾ x 12 ¾ inches 131
Falling Leaves woodblock print, first state, 24/125, 10 ½ x 9 ½ inches 132
Hillside Woods woodblock print, second state, 42/120, 10 ⅝ x 9 ⅝ inches 133
Leaves Red and Green woodblock print, 10 ⅝ x 9 ⅝ inches 134
Live Oak Landa Park woodblock print, second state, 26/125, 13 x 12 ž inches 135
Mountain Gold woodblock print, 48/120, 9 ½ x 11 ¼ inches 136
Mountain Pool woodblock print, RC, 31/125, 9 ½ x 11 ⅛ inches 137
Nobody is Home woodblock print, first state, 7/125, 10 ž x 9 ž inches 138
October Morning woodblock print, 10/120, 9 ¼ x 11 ⅛ inches 139
Point Lobos woodblock print, first state, 21/125, 12 ¾ x 12 ¾ inches
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Point Lobos
Point Lobos
original woodblock, 12 ⅞ x 12 ¾ inches inscribed on verso: #131 – POINT LOBOS – (PINK)
original woodblock, 12 ⅝ x 12 ⅝ inches
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Point Lobos original woodblock, 12 ⅞ x 12 ⅞ inches inscribed on verso: 111 (SPECIAL) / THIS APPEARS TO BE A LARGER CUT / OF #111 – POINT LOBOS – WHICH / APPARENTLY DID NOT DEVELOP INTO A / COMPLETED PRINT. / COLOR WOODBLOCK BY / GUSTAVE BAUMANN / 1-26-77 142
Point Lobos original woodblock, 12 ⅞ x 12 ¾ inches inscribed on verso: #111 (SPECIAL) – BLACK / THIS APPEARS TO BE A LARGER CUT / OF #111 – POINT LOBOS – WHICH AP- / PARENTLY DID NOT DEVELOP INTO A / COMPLETED PRINT. / ANN BAUMANN 1-26-77 143
Pine and Aspen woodblock print, third state, 97/125, 12 ⅞ x 12 ⅞ inches 144
Punch Hunting Chipmunks woodblock print, third state, 56/125, 9 ½ x 11 Ÿ inches 145
Rainy Day Promenade woodblock print, 9 ⅝ x 11 ¼ inches 146
Redwood woodblock print, first state, 41/125, 12 ⅞ x 12 ⅞ inches 147
Road of a Morning woodblock print, 89/100, 11 x 10 inches 148
Salt Creek woodblock print, 61/100, 9 ½ x 11 ⅛ inches 149
Sequoia Forest woodblock print, 47/55, 12 ¾ x 12 ⅞ inches 150
Singing Woods woodblock print with aluminum leaf, 16/120, 13 x 12 â…ž inches 151
Spring Freshet woodblock print, 23/120, 10 ⅞ x 9 ¾ inches 152
The Sycamore woodblock print, 10/100, 10 ⅞ x 9 ⅞ inches 153
Three Pines woodblock print, 10 ¾ x 9 ½ inches 154
Winsor Cañon woodblock print, 39/100, 10 ¾ x 9 ⅞ inches 155
Winter Corral woodblock print, second state, 108/125, 12 ž x 12 ž inches 156
Woodland Meadows woodblock print, 17/125, 9 ⅝ x 11 ¼ inches 157
SE AS C APE S AND CITYSCAP E S Baumann created his cityscapes while staying in New York City and upstate New York. His seascapes derive mainly from his travels to the west coast along California’s beaches and city docks, as well as from his stay in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Muted colors and the presence of facades are commonalities found in both of these genres. For example, in the seascape, Idle Fleet, 28/120, trees play a minimal role in the composition; instead, a flurry of houses lines a subtlety colored sea, whose sailboats drift off into the distance. In Idle Fleet, 6/120, the color palette is again muted, with a low horizon line and far reaching skyscraper buildings along a body of water. The muted colors of Baumann’s seascapes and cityscapes are reminiscent of a watercolor wash, a medium and style common to the woodcut artists of Cape Cod and the Japanese style. While many of Baumann’s prints incorporate soft contour lines indicative of mountainous landscapes, lush ground, and gentle waves, his cityscapes frequently utilize a more graphic and linear style. For example, the angular shape of the roofs, fences, and slabs of wood in the facades of Tom a Hunting contrast greatly to the billowing trees found in Pacific Shore Line, 8/125. This collection of seascapes and cityscapes provides a rare window into some of Baumann’s lesser known but no less remarkable works.
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Idle Fleet woodblock print, 28/120, 9 ¾ x 10 ⅞ inches 159
Idle Fleet woodblock print, 6/20, 11 x 13 â…› inches 160
Madison Square woodblock print, 13 Âź x 11 inches 161
Mending the Seine woodblock print, second state, 38/125, 9 â…? x 11 â…› inches 162
Monterey Cypress woodblock print, first state, 14/125, 8 ⅛ x 8 ⅛ inches 163
Pacific Shore Line woodblock print, first state, 8/125, 12 ž x 12 � inches 164
Pelican Rookery woodblock print, second state, 39/125, 9 ½ x 11 ⅜ inches 165
Point Lobos woodblock print, 80/125, 8 ⅛ x 8 ⅛ inches 166
Provincetown woodblock print, 15/120, 10 ⅜ x 9 ½ inches 167
Tom A Hunting woodblock print, 11 x 13 ¼ inches 168
Windswept Eucalyptus woodblock print, second state, 50/125, 9 ⅝ x 11 ⅜ inches 169
G E R A L D P ET E R S GA L L E R Y ® 1005 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 Tel 505-954-5700 | www.gpgallery.com
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