Haku Maki was undoubtedly Japan’s most prolific print maker of the second half of the 20th century. Many of his works were serious works of kanji and also ceramics. These three are perhaps a bit frivolous. They are actually pretty: each one has seeming globs of color The blue one on the left has kanji in the blue stone; the central one has a wonderful black kanji for Mountain in the center; and the one on the right four globs, each of a different color. And one splash.
Edgar Chahine, French, 1874-1947, drypoint etching, "Elvira," image size 14 1/4 x 19 1/2 inches, 1906, ed. of 50, cat. Tabanelli-165, pencil signed, framed.
Louis Auguste Mathieu Legrand, French, 1863-1951, etching, "La Femme au Parapluie" (Lady with Umbrella), image size 14 1/4 x 6 inches, signed and dedicated in pen "A Mon Ami Mil..." (To My Friend Mil...), framed.
The image on the left was done in 1970 the other in 1971. The image at the left looks like 2 or 3 quick brush strokes. It is very delicate. It can mean clothing.
The image at the right is heavy, many brush strokes, a complicated kanji. It can mean depression. It is Poem 71-14.
(continued) the last two panels show the same kanji for Rising in two different designs. Maki seemed to have liked this theme. Big Red is Poem 71-50; it was preceded by Poem 70-48 a smaller print. These are shown below.
In The Life and Works of Haku Maki I refer fairly briefly to his Big Reds and other large prints of the late 1960s and early 1970s. In this Research Note I present a more thorough compendium of this type of image and commentary. If any readers know of an image which should be in this Note, please let me know. For now please enjoy these.
Poem 70-63 (Me) was acquired in 2010.
Poem 71-90 ed of 108
Dance 69-2
NOTE: This is the first part of a two-part note. The second part is Note 7 B.
Charles Mielatz, American, 1864-1919, etching, Chinese Carp, image size 20 x 9 inches, 1887, remarque lower left, pencil signed lower right, published by Klackner, New York.
Lawrence Kupferman, American, 1909-1982, drypoint etching, "Victorian Mansion," image size 14 x 12 7/8 inches, 1939, pencil signed and numbered 22/100.
A Fine Pair of Monotypes by the well regarded Taxco, Mexico Artist, Carl Pappe (1900-98). Each measure about 17 1/2" by 24 1/2" overall. Slight water staining on bottom as shown. Each pencil signed and titled.
These are 3 different “takes” of the kanji for Stone.
Red is Work 74-58 (Stone) ; Green is 76-56 (Stone);
Blue is 76-54 (Stone).
The green one is larger than the other two. All have the striking black sun as one stroke of the kanji.
Haku Maki (1924 to 2000) was an important late 20th Century Japanese printmaker. He created images often using kanji (originally: Chinese characters) as the theme for his prints. He created about 2000 different images. Many are known. Here I present a number of images which I had never seen until this year even as I have gathered many...
Paul Herrmann, German, 1864-1940, etching, "On the Lake," image size 15 1/8 x 11 inches, pencil signed and numbered 119/120
Atsuo Sakazume - Modern Japanese printmaker
Presented - mezzotint entitled - Safari Land Dreams
Image measures 19 1/2" x 25 1/2"
Framed
Measurements with frame - 26" x 30"
Pencil signed and numbered
Excellent condition
Shigeki Kuroda - modern Japanese printmaker
Presented - etching with aquatint entitled - Twilight
Image measures 7" x 11 1/2"
Framed
Measurement with frame 17 1/4" x 21 1/4"
Signed and numbered in pencil
Excellent condition
In 1968 Haku Maki produced this large Blue image of Child. The blue is vivid and the yellow face is in sharp contrast. To the far right is a small Green Child, the same theme, different key color. It appeared in 1969. The red image is a trial run for a Festive Wine print. It never made it. The translators of Festive Wine or Anne Brannen nixed it and used a different Child image, the fifth frame...
Haku Maki produced this “pair” of prints in 1968. The first image is Child. This is the first time Maki produced an image with Child as a theme. Poem 68-52. The second one is his kanji for Water. Poem 68-53. This image was used again in the set of 21 prints he produced for Festive Wine, which was issued in 1969. The colors in both are strikingly beautiful in these images – as they also are as prints. Maki signed each in white ink, something he rarely did...
Max Slevogt, German, 1868-1932, drypoint etching, "Two Tigers", image size: 4 1/8 x 5 1/2 inches, 1913, edition of 35, pencil signed. From "10 Radierte Tierstudien von Max Slevogt."
George Soper, British, 1870-1942, etching and drypoint, "Wood Gatherers", image size: 7 7/8 x 10 1/4 inches, 1921, ed. of 54, Beetles 249 VIII/VIII, pencil signed.
A diptych of Maki prints, one done in 1968 and the other in 1969. In the best of Maki's spartan austere style, they are Poem 68-40 and Poem 69-13.
Maurice de Vlaminck, French, 1876-1958, lithograph, "Le Pont sur l'Oise a Mery", image size: 9 1/2 x 13 1/4 inches, 1st state of 2, without the signature in the stone, cat. Walterskirchen-187, pencil signed lower right, framed.
Samuel Chamberlain, American, 1895-1975, etching, "Amalfi", image size: 7 x 7 inches, numbered 88/100, 1925, cat. Chamberlain and Kingsland-8, pencil signed lower right, framed.
Stephen Parrish, American, 1846-1938, etching, "Mills at Mispek, N.B.", image size: 8 3/4 x 11 3/4 inches, 1884, seconds state, cat. Schneider-104, pencil signed lower right.
Samuel Chamberlain, American, 1895-1975, drypoint etching, "The Verdant Village", image size: 6 1/2 x 11 inches. 1931, edition 75/100, cat. Chamberlain and Kingsland-107, pencil signed, numbered and titled. This scene of Bellefontain, Ile-de-France, exhibits Chamberlain's ability to create subtle gradation in plate tone.
Complete 1967 portfolio of 25 soft ground etchings with aquatint by Jack Levine (American, Boston, born 1915). This work is complete--portfolio case plus all original material, including the 25 soft ground etchings individually pencil signed by the artist and numbered 37/100. Published in 1967 by Touchstone Publishers on handmade BFK Rives wove paper. This portfolio was inspired by the "Dreigroschen Oper" film by Pabst, after the play by Bertold Brecht (The Threepenny Opera)...
Louis Orr, American, 1879-1961, etching, "The United Nations", image size: 15 18 1/2 inches, pencil signed, plate signed and inscribed copyright Webb & Knapp Inc., 1953.
Arthur Heintzelman, American, 1891-1965, drypoint etching, "Convalescence", image size: 12 x 9 1/4 inches, 1926, cat. Smith-128, edition of 80, pencil signed lower right. Heintzelman's skill captures this tender moment between a mother and child. A fine impression with ample margins. Provenance: Baldwin-Wallace College.
Carl M. Schultheiss, German/American, 1885-1961, engraving, "Goatherd", image size: 8 1/4 x 7 1/4 inches, pencil signed. Presentation Print for the Society of Print Connoisseurs, Society blindstamp lower left. Provenance: Baldwin-Wallace College.
Alphonse Legros, French, 1837-1911, etching, "Les Bords De La Liane", image size: 5 7/8 x 7 3/4 inches, c. 1900, pencil signed lower right. This airy, impressionistc etching depicts a man fishing in a forested landscape. Provenance: Baldwin-Wallace College.
Sir Francis Seymour Haden, British, 1818-1910, etching and drypoint on copper, "Dusty Millers", image size: 5 1/2 x 8 5/16 inches, dated 1877, state V/V, cat. Schneiderman-172, pencil signed lower right. One of Haden's intrestes apart from being a surgeon and printmaker was firshing...
Sir Francis Seymour Haden, British, 1818-1910, etching, "The Two Sheep", image size: 4 1/2 x 5 7/8 inches, 1870, cat. Harrinton-177, cat. Schneiderman-132, state V/V, pencil signed.
Stephen Parrish, American, 1846-1938, etching, "Sunset, Gloucester Harbor", image size: 4 7/8 x 8 3/4 inches, 1880, cat. Schneider 40, SP number 40, first state of two, pencil signed. A beautiful, rich impression, Parrish makes excellent use of plate tone to imbue the scene with atmosphere. The second state, which has much less ink in the sky and sea, was later published in American Etchings.
Arthur Heintzelman, American, 1891-1965, etching, "Planche Aux Cinq Croquis", 1925, edition 100, image size: 4 1/8 x 5 5/8 inches, pencil signed
Arthur Heintzelman, American, 1891-1965, etching, "Cafe Montmartrois", BPL 114, plate destroyed, Characters from French art culture of 1925; Scene features Heintzelman, left, bending over table, the Parisian model, Kiki who appears in Planche aux Cinq Croquis. To her right, Fredie, subject in Fredie du Cafe "Le Lapin Agile" and of Le Poete regarded by Heintzelman as the last of the great Montartre singers, Young man with the guitar is Fredie's son.
Arthur Heintzelman, American, 1891-1965, drypoint etching, "Adolphe Appia, Jeune Artiste Philosophe", drypoint etching, image size: 12 3/8 x 8 1/4 inches, 1934, cat. Smith-92, edition of 100, pencil signed.
Arhtur Heintzelman, American, 1891-1965, etching, "Edouard, Musician - Montmartrois", image size: 11 3/8 x 9 1/4 inches, 1923, cat. Smith-85, pencil signed lower left, Keppel label on reverse, framed.
William Lee Hankey, European, 1869-1952, etching, "Trincket Box", image size: 4 5/8 6 3/8 inches, pencil signed, blind stamp.