the California
Printmakerthe journal of the california society of printmakers | 2006
Storytelling and Printmaking The Journal | 2006 • • • • • following individualsinvolved withthepublicationofthisjournal. withthisproject. Iwouldliketoextendmythanksthe This wasespeciallytrue work inisolation andthatanythingIdoalwaysinvolves thehandsofothers. These twolinesfrom apoemby Robert Frost speaksbesttomybeliefthatIdonot Acknowledgments
13 Rose E.O’Brien forherproofreading andvaluable insight. and words ofencouragement. CSP President Benny AlbaandMargaret-Ann Clementefortheirinitialadvice Hazelwood,Art whoinitiallysuggestedthatIguesteditthisissue. on suchatightschedule. Norma S.Steinberg, andSarina Rodrigues Wyant forworking socloselywithme First andforemost, Iwishtoextendmydeepestappreciation toJan Baetens, m. e.foster Peter LeoneMcCormick Kristian Johnson-Michiels A Linda Yoshizawa NewsBrief Editor m. e.foster Brown BagPrograms Jenny Robinson Portfolio Review Jerry Theobald Patricia Theobald Payne Education Outreach Lila Warthaftig Publicity Lars Johnson Exhibitions DIRECTORS ACTING TREASURER SECRETARY PRESIDENT BOARD MEMBERS of Printmakers California Society Benny Alba 2 Studio fortheirdesignandproduction. t Large “‘Men work together,’ Itoldhimfrom theheart, ‘Whether theywork togetherorapart.’” ‘Whether
EMAIL: [email protected] WEB SITE: www.caprintmakers.org CSP VOICEMAIL: (415)905-4296 San Francisco, 94147 CA PO Box 475422 California SocietyofPrintmakers SEND INQUIRIES TO: members are admittedonly byreview. portfolio Membership categories include: artist, associate, patron andhonorary. Artist throughout theUnitedStates, Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe and Asia. of theCSP’s current memberslive andwork inCalifornia, butmembershipextends arts organization that promotes the appreciation of prints and printmaking. A majority The California Society ofPrintmakers, founded in1913, isaninternationalnonprofit MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION: with the artists unlessotherwisestated. with theartists All rightsreserved. Copyrights ofallimagesremain William Gropper FRONT COVER IMAGES Inkworks, Berkeley, CA PRINTING 13 DESIGN AND PRODUCTION David A. Beronä GUEST EDITOR The Journal2006 © WPA 1935 Fritz Eichenberg Brussels: Frémok, 2003. Woodcut, 9 Olivier Duprez Lithograph, 11 oftenlithographs from aseries “The Senate.” 2006 The California SocietyofPrintmakers. 2 Studio, SanFrancisco, CA - 36, proof. artist Wood engraving7 3 / 4 "x15 ,
, Le Château de Kafka,
, St. Francis andtheFishes 3
/ The Speaker, 4 ". GeneGropper. Printer: 1 / 1938 4 x7". " x - 41 3 / 4 x6". " x , The Journal | 2006 2 8 16 Duality by Sarina by Gropper’s Gropper’s By Jan Baetens Saint Francis: Saint Francis: Late Etchings Storytelling in Storytelling in Rodrigues Wyant Rodrigues Olivier Deprez’s Olivier Deprez’s CONTENTS Fritz Eichenberg’s Fritz Eichenberg’s by Norma S. Steinberg Norma S. by Showing Humanity’s Humanity’s Showing Le Château de Kafka Le Château de
My enjoymentMy from storytelling in prints has never left my life and In In this issue, I wanted to look at this marriage of prints and storytelling Pictorial storytelling holds a special lives,magic regard- in everyone’s
David A. Beronä A. David I hope that these scholars will fortify the element of storytelling in your ongoing work as printmakers for the next generation. from the perspective of a few scholars who will examine the work of three printmakers both here in the StatesUnited and one from Europe. Norma S. Steinberg examines the etchings who ofWilliam used hisGropper, storytelling skills and caricatures to uncover social injustices in the United The Belgium,States. Baetens, Jan looks closely at a graphic novel by Olivier Deprez and how his woodcuts not only illustrate a book written by Kafka but, morevisually importantly, shows us Kafka the “writing” work. And in Sarina theexamines Rodrigueslast Wyant essay, Fritz homage toEichenberg’s Saint Francis and how elements in the stand alone print symbolize ideas and beg the viewer to construct an internal narrative. less of age, race, language or religion, confirmed throughout history from prehistoric cave paintings to digitized images on the internet. only Not do stories entertain us but they may be the best means that enable us to rise above our individual differences, identify with others, and feel less alone— whether crouching in a cave or sitting with our laptop in an internet Thecafe. invention that brought the power of storytelling to its greatest potential was the printing press with its potential of circulating images in vast quantities and making the print the ideal vehicle for the democratic dissemination of ideas, instruction, and entertainment. Storytelling and Printmaking When I was a child, my father read stories to me at bedtime. Although these stories entertained me, I enjoyed more the picture books without words when my father created the stories himself. I learned to read pic- tures from my father and began reading pictures to my younger sisters as I grew older. I discovered the secrets of storytelling in pictures in libraries and developed an imagination that found sustenance in the graphic works of Heinrich Alfred Kley, Kubin, Odilon Redon, and Max Klinger, particu- larly his “Glove” series. Each picture unraveled an imaginative storyline leading to the event displayed by the artist on the page. Like a private detective, I visually scrutinized each print to discover more information that would spark another avenue of entertainment or enlightenment in my imagination. Editor’s Note Editor’s Storytelling The Journal | 2006 victimized by many former friends in the early 1960s as a “Fifth Amendment communist.” In the intensely anti-socialist climate challenging andfantastic. more became Gropper’sprinter, storytelling master a with collaboration in intaglios create to opportunity an given 1960s, the In itself. blacklist the and press, cynical the informers, for metaphors became women and men the workers, as initially figures. his of Portrayed meaning the changed he censorship, with brush personal his of aftermath the Duringrepertoire. his expanded Groppercontinually heroes, folk and lawyers, judges, senators, lithographic the to sorts, all of workers and talists, capi- laborers, of caricatures earliest Fromthe output. graphic his in noticeable particularly is theme this justice—and social paintings, the whole gamut of social and political concerns. Gropper was proud of his chosen subject matter—humanity and and caricatures, illustrations, book prints, in depicted 1970s, the through 1920s the from active artist American an 1977), During the 1940s Gropper was censured by Congress as a dissident, blacklisted by Senator Joseph McCarthy in 1953, and in Gropper’s
B B Y N orma Late Etchings S. S or social messages in their prints. William Gropper (1897- Gropper William prints. their in messages social or century,nineteenth the satirical, political, added have artists since especially and Renaissance, late the Since religion. or history, myths, of stories tell to centuries the through ists art- by used been have they reproducible, are prints ecause teinber g
The Journal | 2006 ". Printer:Gene Gropper. ". Printer:Gene 4 / 3 " x15 " 4 / 3 41 from a series of ten lithographs “The Senate.” Lithograph, 11 41 - 1938 The Speaker, Gropper, Figure. 1. William The Journal | 2006 Gropper said “exposed the brutal Inquisitions of his time.” inks. Each of the individual titles – titles individual the of Each inks. colored and settings, realized fully line-work, sophisticated Dream, Market on 38th Street, Check, Tomorrow’sCheck, Street, Saint, 38th on Market Dream, Fantasy, Break, Coffee Hassidim, Duchess, Gourmet, erman, of the images in needle, baby comb, engraving,roulette. sandpaper,electric ground, soft and lift, hard, media: taglio in- of variety a with plates the on directly worked Gropper figuration. and methods, materials, with experiment to ty opportuni- the used He AAA. for printer lithographic and intaglio master Sorini, Emiliano with collaborated Gropper proofs lightlycolored. few a umber,olive-green,with raw brown,darkblack, ivory green- tone: dark single a in printed was Each proofs.ist’s Catastrophe portfolio of fifty lithographs, responseMcCarthy’sInto blacklisting, Gropper publisheda art. fine propaganda,eredsubversive,notcertainlyeven and of the Cold War, his figurative, narrative imagery was consid- tions,” was inspired by inquisi- Francisco Goya’s “American called he what against indictment his appear attheMcCarthy hearings. to subpoena the by affected negatively was gallery the with lithographs in and the early forties fifties, but his association Gropper’spublished had lithographs, of primarily publisher well-known a recently until AAA, gallery’saegis. the under etchings of suite a create to Gropper invited (AAA) gallery guard’ seemsamazinglyyoung.” ‘old the Gropper In Grosz. George by officer Prussian a or judge Daumier a than more any date not does senator per Grop- A tradition: durable a in “[Gropper’s]is wrote, work bypositively reviewed 1961.was Itin drawings and paintings his of tion exhibi- an held in 1936, show one-person first Gropper’s of patron Gallery, (A.C.A.) Art Contemporary American hl svrl mgs noprt nw ocps most concepts, new incorporate images several While oe raie a ubr f xiiin aon the around exhibitions of number a organized Cole commission, etching this For Artists American Associated of Cole Sylvanafter, Soon Gropper’s reputation began to rise in the sixties. The sixties. the in rise to began reputation Gropper’s – was printed in an edition of 100 with ten art- ten 100with of edition an in printed was – magazine. Ending the piece, the reviewer the piece, Timethe Ending magazine. Twelve Etchings 5 Capriccios modify early ideas with more 3 4 wle Etchings Twelve Rembrandt Lady, Fish- Lady, Rembrandt 1 . This group of prints, Los Caprichos (1965), , which and 2
( tenderness and overstatement both for capacity Gropper’s Senator is a personification of bureaucratic hubris. another. In the context of Gropper’s oeuvre, the overindulgent tableata withline a ofwaiters bringing himone course after by Gropper’sGene by son f oen r.We Lws ufr i the in Mumford Lewis When Art. Modern of sometimes called always a scowl. Two of the spectacles,or hat top a often tie, and suit belly,droopinga large a has type The contempt. symbolize – capitalists and All Gropper’s images of government officials – judges, lawyers, skepticism aboutgovernment. Gropper’s reflected comment his Records,” Congressional hundred a of condensation “the as painting the reviewed nte rpeetto o ti sbet ( subject this of representation another ne te anr Gopr s n thr s tl i Good in Form; still Old Social Criticisms Haven’t is LostPunch.” etcher an as “Gropper banner the under Gropper’sacknowledged review positive a in concerns social tional Portrait Gallery. John Canaday, in the then a well-known print dealer, and later director of the Na- Fern, Alan by essay an with set the introduced and country napping, or reading the newspaper than from his rhetoric. his from thannewspaper the reading or napping, fore colleagues who benefit more from personal conversations, caricature, Daumier Gropper’sround-bellied, a gesturingloudlySpeakerbe-stands many like and Daumier, admired like fishermen and dancing Hassidism, consistent with his with consistent Hassidism, dancing and fishermen like Gropper’s smile. not although nose, and girth, mouth, generous Gropper’s slumped. Not by coincidence, the resting Congressman bears right hand. His suit is rumpled, his brow furled, his shoulders his near rests paper of sheet a and alcohol?), of nip short (a another.on glass feet small a fondling is he coffee Insteadof f ei. . ogr oder ucae Goprs oil Gropper’s painting, purchased Goodyear Conger A. media. of variety a in pursued Gropper that one enduring an proved figures without a specific figurescongressional without a association. Fig. 2 h Sntra tp cnius aog ih subjects with along continues, type Senatorial The The SpeakerThe particular, in imagery, Congressional of motif The ofe Break Coffee ). Atired Congressman slouchesinonechairwithhis The Senate The , a lithographa , printededitionan twelvein of Le Gourmand (S.52) is more sympathetic, blending blending sympathetic, more is (S.52) (1935) and donated it to the Museum the to it donated (1935)and 8 in the late 1930s to early 1940s,is early 1930sto late the in Twelve Etchings (S.49), 7 10 shows a bloated figure are similarly rotund Fig.1 New York Times , . Gropper ). New YorkerNew 6 Gourmet 9 ,
The Journal | 2006 , but not with such explicit bit- explicit such with not but , ). A suited man wearing a fedora Capriccios Fig. Fig. 3 (S.53), also a new concept, continues his dream- his continues concept, new a also (S.53), Fantasy terness. like imagination ( enters right and is faced with mor- all in academic an foreground the In figures. manner and activities of inexplicable tarboard and sleeveless gown carries a basket coat- of his off shears him behind tailor bearded a while letters, alphabet cranium is sawed open, The as tailor’s tails. in Bosch, Goya, lying informers.Flying figures as witches occur inGropper’s series, lithographic
Tomorrow’s Saint Tomorrow’s suite also includes flying through the 11 Twelve Etchings Twelve early social The imagery. 1965 from “Twelve Etchings.” Etching, sheet 38" x23". AAA. Sorini. Publisher: Emiliano Printer: Etchings.” Etching, sheet 38" from “Twelve 1965 Break, Coffee Gropper, Figure 2. William new subjects drawn from the lessons of Goya, Grosz, and Bosch – fantastic, imaginative, and poetic. (S.57) shows three Goyesque “witches” air, pointing, air, and throwing darts at a somber man with his right hand raised to swear an oath of truth. The books in his left arm signal educational accomplishment, while the stigmata call attention to his martyrdom. The witches re- fer questioning to committee; before Gropper’s McCarthy’s their faces the represent gesticulating, angry Senator and his The Journal | 2006 of mating foreplay. In the foreground, a nude woman seated form mysterious a in engaged are ladder, unsupported but ible audience. Two others, caught in the rungs of an elevated invis- addressesan and goat a on stands sunglasses, and coat military a in dressed One, background. the in appear faces and satire, is crowded with detail. Three figures with pig-like stupidity andirrationality. representshead opened the threeartists these of work the in used was it Wherever hollowness. its signify to Grosz, and Figure 3.William Gropper, Fantasy, 1965 from“Twelve Etchings.”Etching,sheet38" 23".Printer: EmilianoSorini.Publisher: AAA. x h cmoiin dan ih obnd seriousness combined with drawn composition, The of thenightinGoya’s on a barrel has an upturned chair on her head like the ladies’ n icnitnis n oit. rpe icroae ideas incorporated Gropper society. in inconsistencies and a world turned upside down, an allegory of the incongruities in thesky. bowl’s circular form and the head’s cavity, forms a dark circle in the dark fluid of a round bowl. A full moon, repeating the buried hands her has She existence. of stupidity the of sign another is monkey,which a possibly animal, an is chair the This print is neither funny nor satirical. It is the story of Caprichos . Caught within the rungs of . Caughtwithintherungs The Journal | 2006 , and flights of imagina- Capriccios Gropper’s involvement with printmaking in 12 (S.109). The other subjects in this group are Grop- Twelve Etchings of Twelve and 1965, the etched suite of 1968, Gropper Gropper saw a society ubiquitous with inconsistent Gropper Gropper had been invited to become a fellow at the 58. - tion and fantasy, all fashioned into a more refined format. The etchings incorporate a number of intaglio media, and blurred with etchings, 1968 the of technique soft-ground the lines, further reduces the tension and The indignation. hys- terical pitch is reduced, the iconography is more complex, and the maintained storytellingan potent. remains Gropper active, unequivocal role in the social and political fight for and liberty. compassion, equality, Witness intaglio and color lithography animated his performance and rehabilitated his artistic and personal reputation. Print- making expanded his popular base from caricature into fine art. Fresh and earlier audiences were intrigued by his new stories. and renewed justice, uprooted citizenry, and a alienated underclass. His earliest work, mainly caricatures, portrayed the brutality of Nazism and Fascism, the indifference of the United States to the war, venal politicians, and unscrupulous slumlords. The interweave material and themes from earlier drawings and paintings, allegories from per’s arrogant contentious enemies in the and Senate similar per’s politicians. dilettante work- and there, in 1967, Workshop Lithography Tamarind ing with master printmakers, created a number lithographs. of color 1956. - ", were created in 4 / 3 , 1965 (S.101), return . This time the empty- " by 5 by " 4 / 3 Fantasy Academy proved popular and AAA commissioned a Because Because of the many exhibitions arranged by Cole, the In In the following months, Gropper continued working June Wayne founded Tamarind Lithograph Workshop in Los Angeles in 1960; Gropper was an early contributor. in 1960; Gropper in Los Angeles Workshop Lithograph Tamarind founded Wayne June . Raisonné items in Catalogue of the Etchings to Sorini’s These numbers refer etchings with aquatint. , 1799, Los Caprichos y Lucientes, Goya Francisco . Mensuelle lithograph for l’Association , 1834, Belly Legislative Daumier, Honoré , San Francisco, Wofsy, 1998, nos. 47 1998, Wofsy, Francisco, , San Raisonné Catalogue of the Etchings Gropper: Sorini. Emiliano 1965. 22, May 1936. 15, February c. 1938-1941. early lithographs, for his father’s to fourteen of age, acted as pressman then eleven years elder son Gene, Gropper’s Gropper’s appreciation of Goya’s work was included as an artist’s statement with the portfolio. statement with the portfolio. was included as an artist’s work of Goya’s appreciation Gropper’s 72. p. 8, 1961, December Time, committee. McCarthy’s the only visual artists called before were Kent and Rockwell Gropper The lithographs were printed in editions of 50 impressions by George Miller, 1953 Miller, George by printed in editions of 50 impressions The lithographs were suite of images in 1968, also in editions of 100. of the fourteen Gropper Ten continued his collaboration with Sorini. of these smaller etchings, each 3 headed figure is rotund a general, who crownedis with a laurel wreath by an academic, a metaphor for the thought- sleeve empty an with man beribboned A insensitive. and less stands on top of a podium with his honors. Another flies downward, while two other figures, one with a pitch fork, sit astride a large fish flying Pieces through the of air. paper, some shaped like parts of a clothing pattern, float through- out the picture space – a to reference the tailor of the earlier East Lower the signify alike tailor and pieces Pattern etching. Both Gropper. to familiar iconography an trades, needle Side Gropper and his parents toiled long hours in the garment industry. Twelve Twelve Etchings from a number of sources, including his own earlier imagery, imagery, earlier own his including sources, of number a from to produce symbols and personifications that direct the au- seemingly his entertainwith to hoped He attention. dience’s world’s the about viewers teach to and imagery, light-hearted randomness and unpredictability. with Sorini, and they collaborated on a number of intaglio works in small or unique editions. Most of these images re- prise memories of trips to East Russia, End, New York’s or his family. Only a few, like soft ground, and look like pencil drawings including a pen- sooty smudges. cil’s All of these soft ground prints have po- for model the is Gropper frightened young A content. litical to the ambiguous allegory of 12 9 10 11 5 6 7 8 2 3 4 NOTES 1 The Journal | 2006 e u a e t â h C Le ytelling or St Olivier Deprez’s Olivier de Ka f ka ka f Ka de By
Jan Baetens
in
The Journal | 2006 " x7"." 4 / 1 Brussels: Frémok, 2003. Woodcut, 9 2003. Woodcut, Figure 4. Olivier Deprez , Le Château de Kafka. Brussels: Frémok, 10 The Journal | 2006 Figure 5.OlivierDeprez,LeChâteaudeKafka. Brussels:Frémok, 2003.Woodcut, 9 1 / 4 7". " x The Journal | 2006 11 It undoubtedly 4 ). 6 - has sterilized the work of the Clear Line artists, or rather of their studios, since artists few work on an individ- ual basis. Woodcutting is of course not the only possible answer to this standardization frustrating of the artis- tic endeavor. The 1990s had alsowitnessed theemergence theso-calledof color”“direct move- a aesthetics,waswhich ment within graphic novel production that the blurring fostered of boundaries between drawing, etching, and coloring—three aspects sharply divided in the clas- sic studio. is the most radical one, for the woodcut technique has a brutal-directnessandof kind ity—even primitivism—that Fig 4 Fig The answer to the second question on narra-Deprez’s In order to answer the first question, one should stress ized computer hybridization and the decision to not theexplore illustrative but the constructive possibilities of the medium go against the grain of many illustrativethenatureexplore, notdecision tocontemporaryThe practices. art of woodcuts but its storytelling possibilities, to is a Deprez’s innovation tribute and begs two questions.Deprez making Why woodcuts? is And why has Deprez chosen a narrative bias? in the first place the artist’s rebellion againstnization the andmecha- standardization of the division of labor that thedirect color practitioners completely Thisavoid.iseven morethecase when one takes choseninto account Deprez’s technique that follows the example of the great expressionists.DeprezGerman cuts the wood for his prints with the grain rather than across the grain, achieving a cut thatrougher and lessis detailed ( " x7"." 4 / 1 Brussels: Frémok, 2003. Figure 6. Olivier Deprez , Le Château de Kafka. Brussels: Frémok, 9 Woodcut, of rints,whatever theirspecific form or genre, can tell stories in two differ- ent, but not necessarily incompat- ibleways.Eitherprint, these-the or riesofprints, isconnected storytoa already known by the reader like a biblical parable, or it the reader encouragesto invent a new story. In aesthetics case 3
ic f speci dcutting
e
the former case, it suffices that the readerstory recognizes behind the the print. In the latter, the image has interpretedto in be order to give meaning to the story. From a cultural and historical point a view, the former is consid- ered traditional, relying on a shared knowledge of cultural heritage, whereas the latter is seen as typically postmod- ern, emphasizing the role of the reader or viewer. launched by the cartoonist Hergé. The work young by Belgian draughtsman the Olivier Deprez will help us clarify the problems opportunities and of printmaking narrative Giventoday. the importance of the woodcut- ting technique in traditional printmaking, it may come as a surprise that a typically modernist artist such as Deprez turns to this technique and moreover does so in order to tell stories. Neither the woodcut technique nor its use for storytellingisself-evident. Onthe contrary,the very repur- posing of an old-fashioned technique in an age of general-
A paradigmatic example of the Franco-Belgian group a is 1990s the of Wave” “New of avant-garde artists doing away with the academismof the Clear Line Th woo P 12 The Journal | 2006 their contemporary form they often illustrate a text given given text a illustrate often they form contemporary their in praesentia in given is which idea or lesson, moral, story, a illustrate they form traditional their In print. illustrative an as recognized been always has woodcut The itself. nique tech- woodcut the of choice his to tied closely is bias tive ic storytelling by way of an artistic upgrade. artistic an of way by storytelling ic graph- innovate to attempts the and comics traditional of sterilization the both by raised difficulties the to solution gallery. art the of that for book the of space the change ex- they sense one In painter. a of identity legitimate more the for novelists graphic as identities unaccepted socially their exchange to temptation the to prey fall artists These technique. color direct the of charms the preferred who ists art- were obsolescence, pos- sible technique’s the avoid to narrative the reinvent to obliged sense a in woodcuts, were who using artists to Contrary color. direct of use the and technique woodcut the of use the between ence differ- the stress to important he in. is medium It working is and him forces to the reinvent nostalgia of temptations the avoid him helps taken is that stance narrative this ization, standard- contemporary to a the express against artist revolt the of enables technique woodcut the if words, In other underpinnings woodcut. classic utterly the called be might what for compensates framework narrative different, very line approach or a more fashionable escape using color. using escape fashionable more a or clear approach line the in either novel graphic a drawing of the way on classic back falling from artist the prevents it woodcuts, cutting of process the in involved labor the to thanks hand, Woodcuts are the ideal ideal the are Woodcuts . 5 The very decision to use the woodcut in a in woodcut the use to decision very The Woodcut, 9 Figure 7.OlivierDeprez,LeChâteaudeKafka.Brussels:Frémok, 2003. 1 / 4 7". " x in absentia in 6 On the one one the On . In . to show the actual process of Kafka at work ( completely the illustrative stance. On the contrary, he reuses reject not does Deprez as such storyteller modernist a that reader. the of mind the in story a duce pro- drawings the which in position constructivist the ing tak- is he or story, existing already an of remembrance the way, and economic in to a seducing there provoke, just very are drawings the which in illustrator, an is artist the Either directions. two in go can narratives woodcut make to sion deci- the essay, this of lines introductory the in argued As Bey works, by looking at Deprez’s images, one gets the feeling the gets one Deprez’simages, at looking by works, other In page. the Kafka’sof of covering dynamics very the dish theater. Rather, Deprez’s woodcuts are a reenactment of ancient Yid- the or cinema silent the like lifetime his in him surrounding culture visual the or Kafka’splot of sentation repre- a not is presents Deprez that woodcutting of process o n h lgt f hs itnto, t s efcl logical perfectly is it distinction, this of light the In nd
e k p h rasis 7
tions, or allusions but attempt but allusions or tions, evoca- descriptions, words, Kafka’s with compete not do images Deprez’s writing. sual Kafka’sto vi- counterpart a as he uses the woodcut technique unique and innovative because very something ac- complished has Deprez work, this In ekphrasis. of realm the to belong would this work In his case, Kafka. by text completing the visually not is Deprez Kafka. illustrates he as much as Masereel illustrates Deprez sense, one In tures.” pic- in “novel the of creator recognized the is who artist Belgian the Masereel, Frans by established ideas creative the of some revisiting while namely Kafka, by book a work his in Le Château Fig 7 ( The Castle ). The very ), The Journal | 2006 13 " x7"." 4 / 1 Brussels: Frémok, 2003. Woodcut, 9 2003. Woodcut, Figure 8. Olivier Deprez , Le Château de Kafka. Brussels: Frémok, 14 The Journal | 2006 Figure 9.OlivierDeprez,LeChâteaudeKafka. Brussels:Frémok, 2003.Woodcut, 9 1 / 4 7". " x The Journal | 2006 15 , ) with two . Formules Fig 9 , which, display throughout thebook ). The name was coined by Joost Swarte in 1977. It is a style of in 1977. It Swarte Joost The name was coined by ). Tintin Ecrire , 2003; and Ecrire & Larose Maisonneuve éd. , Paris, TGV Construction d'une ligne Storytelling Storytelling is not the ultimate aim of Olivier Deprez’s Taking Taking as his primary model Masereel’s sequential art Hence the many precautions taken by Deprez, who LeChâteau deKafka the same pattern: a horizontal split-screen ( strongly interrelated and intertwined panels, whose para- doxicalunity contrasts very strongly with the gaps between each of the pages. cru- is it Yet side-effects. exciting more its of one is it but work story the disconnect not should one that mind in keep to cial of conflict exciting this in is it that and display visual the and as the end- as well the starting resides that two features these printmaking. skillful Deprez’s of point ing to achieve its own unique narrative identity. identity. narrative unique own its achieve to of independent images, while at the same time contesting his ideal of clarity by putting forward his own savage style, Deprez manages to produce works of narrative that can be labeled “second degree Masereel.” Indeed, Deprez bines,Masereelas does, boththe internal complexity com- theof image and its alignment within a series. struggles to keep the materiality of his prints as prominent emphasizingpossible,independenceasbyimage the each of and actively resisting the absorption of the non-narrative part by the narrative whole. Although each image makes a contributiontotheoverall story ofthebook, italso offers a widerangevisualof details thatthereader invitedis look to at for themselves, instead of neglecting them as secondary elementsglobaltheforusewithnarrative.no importantAn rolethisinregard playedis thebyorganization theofpages in , follows , analo- follows The The Sun l Maseree
). This is displayed in two ways. The first way is the pro- the is way first The ways. two in displayed is This ). ter f drawing which uses clear strong lines, strong colours and a combination of cartoonish characters against a realistic background. The use of shadows is sparse and all elements of a panel The use of shadows background. colours and a combination of cartoonish lines, strong characters against a realistic drawing which uses clear strong 1, 2006]. July [Accessed delineated with clear black lines.”
This passion 2 1990) relates that relates 1990) - 1 ant Fritz Eichenberg (1901 Eichenberg Fritz —Fritz Eichenberg —Fritz
Duality Sarina Rodrigues Wy y b of suffering, of good and evil.” of suffering, of good and
Saint Francis: Francis: Saint
“… the artist conjures out of a small square of small square out of a “… the artist conjures wood a microcosm of life: an amalgam of joy and amalgam of joy of life: an wood a microcosm Fritz Eichenberg’s Eichenberg’s Fritz
The Wood and the Graver, the and Wood The n
the association with wood in his life has been a strong one, almost a the association with wood in his life has been a strong one, almost a fatalistic one, since he discovered the artistic medium of wood Showing Humanity’s Humanity’s Showing
Raised in an open minded household, Eichenberg was exposed to Eastern I engraving as an art student in Leipzig. nected him spiritually to the earth and, ultimately, to God. felt that the strong desire to express himself through wood engraving con- promising promising in his views which he expressed powerfully through his art. He country during World War I. A quiet man, he was passionate and uncom- pacifist, influenced early in life by bearing witness to the destruction of his philosophies. He later converted to Quakerism. He was a humanist and a 18 The Journal | 2006 Figure 11. Fritzfrom Eichenberg,Untitled Francis“The Book,” p.137. Wood engraving,6 1 / 4 " x10". The Journal | 2006 19
4 St. St. Francis Preaches to , St. Francis is displayed in a in displayed is Francis St. , ) ) St. Francis is shown in a diving Fig. 10 Fig.
Preaching to the Birds the to Preaching 5 . I have chosen three images of St. Francis to exemplify As Eichenberg’s book illustration flourished, he trea- In In this print ( on a very basic level. But in each there is a reserve of reserve a is there each in But level. basic very a on hidden meaning, complex detail, composition and a remarkable use of the technique of printmaking that combine to ensure that beyond the immediate response the attentive viewer will be rewarded by with these prints. longer acquaintance Eichenberg’s expressive missives.” “paper Eichenberg’s I was intrigued by non a in raised was who Eichenberg, that affinity spiritual the religious environment from a German Jewish heritage, had for a Catholic hermit. Most of his engravings of St. Francis are the typical images of the saint preaching to the animals, and assuming a Christ-like pose. The first image, produced for the WPA in 1935-36, is entitled sured sured the time he used to engrave images that held a special meaning for him. Small print runs from these blocks were pulled and sent to friends for holiday greetings and other special occasions. “Sending out my paper missives into the world…has remained a completely fulfilling almost mysti- cal experience undiminished by the passage of time,” wrote Eichenberg. the Fishes hot air balloon preaching to a flock of birds. birds. of flock a to preaching balloon air hot suit suit as he preaches the word of God to a watery congrega- and evident is humor and whimsy of sense Eichenberg’s tion. Ger- in satire political of cartoonist a as career early his reflects and surprised appears creatures sea of congregation The many. rever- The saint. earnest the on attentively look they as amused surrounding halo the by evidenced is status saintly his for ence his diving helmet. Light and dark in contrast this engraving of the light into “Come Francis: of St. the message to deliver dark- the from Francis St. toward move fishes The love.” God’s symbol- skull a corner, left-hand lower the In light. the to ness The is skull also associ- of things. all living the izes mortality print, this In saints. penitent other and Francis, St. with ated preach and go to willing is Francis St. that implies Eichenberg the by commissioned print another In anywhere. message his called WPA , Alan “When you love , the 13th century mystic century 13th the , The Wood The Wood and the Graver Il Poverello Il
3 The Brothers Karamazov: . It was the establishment of the Progress Works 1226) 1226) whose simple but tenacious message of God’s - The image of St. Francis and his associated themes of In In his introduction to And I, a new immigrant raised on the writings of Dos Passos, Upton Sinclair, Sinclair Lewis, try to interpret their messages on wood in my own way combined with new impressions gained on trips through Latin America with a few of my favorite saints like Saint Francis thrown in for balance—or perhaps good luck! In In 1933, Eichenberg immigrated to the United States Every print of Eichenberg’s delivers its meaning in- print Every of Eichenberg’s stantly and with great impact at first glance at least peace and love became a recurring subject throughout his from directly come have might philosophy Eichenberg’s life. Dostoyevsky’s (1181 the of order religious the inspired creatures living all for love Franciscans. every creature you will understand the mystery of God in created things.” It is not surprising that Eichenberg would Francis, St. with identify Administration Administration (WPA) artists’ program that ultimately pro- vided the needed income for Eichenberg to work and feed his family during that period. Many of his engravings dur- ing this time were influencedby his surroundings and his portrayalstravels. His of people in everyday life are rich and multifaceted. The Nation shines brilliantly in many of his wood engravings, evidenced engravings,woodevidenced his of manybrilliantlyshines in by the many books he illustrated throughout Eichenberg’s his striking career. illustrations, full of humanistic pression, ex- enhance the power of authors like Emily Bronte, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Edgar Allen andPoe, others. midst the in was States United the Although Germany. from of the Depression, he relished the freedom of thought and He offered. York New life-abounding that expression artistic The School New and taught had at some work published in Fern, Director of the National Portrait Gallery wrote: Portrait of the National Director Fern, 20 The Journal | 2006 sisi Are Highly Revered in Italy,” first published in the the in Italy,”in published Revered first Highly Are sisi As- of Man Poor Little of Virtues Ascetic Saint; Patron as Francis jour- Takes “Fascism by McCormick, article O’Hare an Anne of nalist reprint a accompany to used was engraving untitled This evil. and good despair, and hope of contrasts the see I image this In ear. saint’s the in sings he what wonder I shoulder. right Francis’ A St. on work. sits crow hard both are peace preaching and wisdom ing Seek- sadness. and fatigue of expression Francis’ shares It shoulder. left his on perched is wisdom, of symbol the owl, An sad. and haggard looks Francis St. wolf. the of head the on placed is hand outstretched His light. the from emerges his acceptance. The moon is darkened in the sky as St. Francis but Francis from redemption just not seeking penitence, in kneeling around, gather creatures The peace.” brings might “Military offer: his in eagerness of look a with Francis St. toward flies eagle The branch. olive an carries dove, tional tradi- a not power,and military of symbol a eagle, An feet. his at grovel that creatures sinister the at accusingly down looks he as Francis’sarm St. the in held is of innocent, and weak symbol a lamb, The prints. of many antiwar in Eichenberg’s used is imagery of type This beastly. behave sometimes who humans including creatures, God’s all on blessing St. his unconditional Francis bestows device, visual this Through weapons. and clothing military in dressed are and deserving print this in animals both anthropomorphized The undeserving. creatures, all of love unconditional 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 NOTES York Times Book
Eichenberg, p. 13. It isinteresting tonotethatboththesunandlightningsymbolswere usurpedby theNazi regime asaswastikaandthesymbolforSS(Schutzstaffel),respectively. Roy M.Gasnick, O.F.M., Eichenberg, p. 13. Eichenberg, p. 9. Eichenberg, p. 23. See Peaceable hisanthropomorphized “The Tree” inwhichatree proudly bearsthegraver’s toollikeabadgeofhonor. Iask:doyou seeabitofFritz intheprofile ofthetree? Fritz Eichenberg, The Wood andtheGraver The Work ofFritz Eichenberg h scn pit ( print second The . In her article, McCormick describes Mussolini’s fu- Mussolini’s describes McCormick article, her In . in September, 1926 and reissued in in reissued and 1926 September, in The Francis Book.New York: CollierBooks,1980.p. 136 i. 11 Fig. ) exemplifies St. Francis’ St. exemplifies ) The Francis Francis The . New York: Clarkson N.Potter, 1977. p. 178. New - 138. grace andpower thedualityofourhumanity. with expresses Eichenberg engravings, FrancisSt. the in ing a symbol of hope and spirituality.and hope of symbol a each other. Lightning represents divine goodness. The sun is ca.1250. A lightning bolt and the sun are in juxtaposition to in written and compiled Francis St. about stories of book on the title the on St.Francis’s50. play a flowers, perhaps by piercedare hands of 1973edition in an printed in Itwas prints. striking more “for telling a story in images.”in story a “fortelling suffering, of good and evil” and wood is a powerful medium intoxicated—suffering, yet joyous. spiritually man a of eyes lidded heavy the through sun the at up gazes face upturned His stigmata. the of wounds the from bleeds he as even ecstasy St.resting.Francisin appears ar- so print this makes that Francis St. of expression facial the is periphery. It the in are flowers and grass as even tion vegeta- of devoid scorched, seems feet his at earth him. The from emanate also but him surround only not Spirit, Holy the of symbol a Flames, behind. from Francis St. pierce to Italy.” “New his for symbol a as Francis St. usurp to attempt tile was awarded theNobel Peace Prize. United StatesGreat “The Satan.” It yearthe also was Mother the Teresa declared who Khomeini Ayatollah the under events when United States citizens were held hostages in Iran engraving was produced in 1979, a year of tumultuous world Eichenberg defined life as “an amalgam of joy and of and joy of amalgam “an as life defined Eichenberg The Stigmata of St. Francis Although illustrating the evil of another time, Eichenberg’s 6
Fioretti Di Santo Francesco d’Ascesi Francesco Santo Di Fioretti ( 8 Through his visual storytell- visual his Through Fig. 12 7 The lightning bolt seems bolt lightning The ) is one of Eichenberg’s , which was a was which , The Journal | 2006 21 1973, edition of 50. Wood engraving, 14" x12" engraving, 14" Wood edition of 50. 1973, Francis, Eichenberg, The Stigmata of St. . Fritz Figure 12 CONTRIBUTORS
Jan Baetens is professor of cultural studies and literary theory Sarina Rodrigues Wyant is the Assistant Archivist and at the University of Leuven, Belgium. His main research interests are Special Collections Librarian at the University of Rhode Island. She word and image studies, photography, and the theory of constrained is active in the arts and book community. She has served as Presi- writing. He is a chief editor of the highly praised Image & Narrative: dent of the Rhode Island Center for the Book and is the current Online Magazine of the Visual Narrative. He is currently preparing a Vice President of the John Russell Bartlett Society. She coordinates book-length study on novelizations, a subject on which he has already the New Leaves Presents lecture series and the Words of Whitman published in journals like Critical Inquiry. As a poet, he has published poetry contest at URI. She also serves on the Northeast Document recently (in French) a novelization in verse of Jean-Luc Godard’s cult Conservation Board. She is a painter, writer, and poet, contributing movie My Life to Live: Vivre sa vie (2005) and a collection on basketball works to local endeavors. She lives in Newport, Rhode Island with SLAM ! (2006). [email protected] her two daughters and her partner, folk musician Michael Fischman. [email protected] Norma S. Steinberg, a Canadian by birth, has lived in the U.S. for many years. She received her Master of Arts degree in art history David A. Beronä is the Director of the Lamson Library at from Tufts University and a PhD in art history from Boston University Plymouth State University, New Hampshire. He is a recognized in 1994. Her master’s thesis is “Imagery in Goya’s Caprichos Enfáticos,” scholar of the woodcut novel and wordless comics. He has pub- and her doctoral dissertation is titled “William Gropper: Art and lished articles in numerous journals and presented papers at various Censorship from the 1930s Through the Cold War.” Steinberg wrote conferences on the history of the woodcut novel. He is a regular the catalog and organized the Harvard University Art Museum’s book reviewer for Library Journal, Print Quarterly and the Interna- exhibition “Munch in Color,” in 1995. Steinberg writes contemporary tional Journal of Comic Art, where he also serves on their editorial and printmaking reviews, organizes exhibitions of prints and printed board. He is a member of the visiting faculty for the Center of books, and currently teaches art history at Massachusetts College of Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vermont and is working Art in the Critical Studies Department. Steinberg’s books on Grop- on a book titled The Original Graphic Novels: Wordless Books, 1918- per, Blacklisted Art: Gropper and McCarthy, and a reference work with 1951. http://oz.plymouth.edu/~daberona/ co-author Susan Theran, The Language of Art, are ready for review. [email protected]
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID BERKELEY, CA PERMIT NO. 855 C a l i f o r n i a S o c i e t y o f Printmakers
P.O. Box 475422 S a n F r a n c i s c o California 94147
Web caprintmakers.org Email [email protected] Phone 415.905.4296