E-Catalogue
Print Annual, Volume 32
| Print Annual 32 brings together noteworthy selections from our Print Department mostly acquired during 2009 —probably one of the most tumultuous years in the overall economy since the gallery’s founding in 1937. Indeed, Charles D. Childs, in his opening remarks in our first Print Annual in 1976, stated that Childs Gallery was, “in a sense, a Depression baby.” The very nature of the difficulties in the marketplace created the conditions for the gallery to flourish because “it had pried loose a quantity of long-held family treasures providing new sources of supply.” As Mr. Childs stated, works not previously negotiable were then available for the first time—thus enabling the gallery to establish its core holdings, and grow into the Boston institution it is today. Well, these days, it seems that Childs Gallery is somewhat of a “Recession baby” once again. As was the case in the early years, artworks that had been held back have now come forth in great numbers, and other works that would have gone to auction have instead found their way into the gallery. We are delighted to present these special offerings to you today, providing the opportunity to collect significant works that in many cases we have not had for a very long time. The year 2009 began with the acquisition of the Joseph and Marjorie Relkin Collection: a comprehensive group of noteworthy American and European Modern prints that comprise the core of this annual. Their nearly complete raisonné collection of Rockwell Kent prints resulted in our exhibition Rockwell Kent: Designs for Mankind, and was the impetus for us to initiate our new catalogue series Childs Gallery Collections, which celebrates collections, collectors, and collecting as a pivotal axis of the art world. The close of 2009 saw the publication of Volume II of Collections, which featured the contemporary French printmaker Erik Desmazières: Infinite Perspectives, and followed his successful museum exhibitions at the Telfair Museum in Savannah (2009) and the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Montreal (2009-2010). Highlights from each of these artists are featured in this annual. Print Annual 32 is compiled chronologically, and we hope that the catalogue can be an informative resource to learn about the history of printmaking at a glance, while also offering the opportunity to collect a part of that history. We consider ourselves “generalists with specialties,” and we feel that there are opportunities for both the encyclopedic collector and the specialist looking for that rare find. The annual begins with selections of Old Masters, from the Roman High Renaissance to the German and Dutch masters, including fine works from Dürer and Rembrandt. The American 19th Century is represented by wonderful examples of “The American Kings” from Pendleton’s lithography. Fine selections of Buhot, Zorn, and Whistler further represent the 19th century, and the 20th century Modern print is prominently featured as well. We are also offering highlights from a few notable exhibitions in Childs’s Print Department, including the Mexican printmakers of El Taller de Gráfica Popular, and the Woodstock Artists Association. It is also with great pleasure that we introduce for the first time the works of James Egleson, a student of José Clemente Orozco. We invite your inquiries. |
