Goldmark Art publishes between 3 and 4 art catalogues a month. They send in the mail these to their customers, but now they are offering them to everyone for free via digital books, on-line. They have some amazing catalogues, of which I'm sharing some of my favorites.
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| image: druckstelle |
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| image: artelino |
Woodblock printmaking is the oldest printmaking technique, originally hailing from China. In 1390 with the beginning of paper production in Europe, woodblock prints began around 1400. It was an trade left to only very skilled craftsmen. Around 1500, woodblock printmaking became the prime way to illustrate books. The centres for this at the time was Germany and the Netherlands, with Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) bringing the printmaking to a new level of sophistication.JOHN NASH (1893-1977)
Born in London, Nash fought in WWI with the Artists Rifles and worked as an official war artist. After, he taught Art School in Oxford and the Royal College of Art in London. When WWII arrived, Nash was an official war artist with the rank of Captain in the Royal Marines.
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| Over the Top, 1918, oil on canvas, Imperial War Museum |
Although Nash had no formal art training, he excelled at the encouragement of his older brother, also an artist. Nash's first painting that did not contain a war theme was done in 1918, and titled The Cornfield. It is now in the Tate Gallery in London. Nash had become in the habit of painting for pleasure after their war duties were over, which was often late afternoon. You can see the sun-setting shadows in The Cornfield, below.
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| The Cornfield, 1918, oil on canvas, Tate Gallery |
In 1920, Nash became a member of the Society of Wood Engravers. He initially produced woodcuts and wood engravings as illustrations to periodicals, then for books produced by private presses. He did the illustrations to Gathorne-Hardy's Wild Flowers in Britain (Batsford 1938), which showed is interest in botanical subjects. Here are some of his wood engravings, available at Goldmark Art.
Have you ever tried a wood-cut or lino-cut? I did both, in junior high. It was difficult. I remember the tools we used and having to make short jabs to get deep into the wood and linoleum. Do I remember how my image turned out? No. Do I remember cutting my hand several times? YES.
