Pressed in Time: American Prints 1905-1950 [Paperback]

The carving tools and dynamic artwork of American printmakers exist in their own special world, far from the media glare and public acceptance. Perhaps one of the ultimate "niche" arts, intaglio etching and aquatint prints are generally dismissed as "too modernistic", "too austere", "too intellectual", or "too kitsch" by the self-appointed Those Who Know Better. In 2005, two important print collections were promised as gifts to the Huntington Library and Art Gallery in San Marino, CA. "Pressed in Time: American Prints 1905-50" was the resulting exhibition (Oct 2007 - Jan 2008), intended to celebrate the donations and bring the larger existing collection to the public's attention. This book, featuring 54 plates and 5 illustrations, served as the exhibition catalog, and is an outstanding introduction to not only the Huntington collection but also to American printmaking in general.

If I have one complaint about this book (other than the pages being numbered by the binding rather than the edges), it would be that I wish more of the 82 artists represented in the show could have been included. While the show's highlights have indeed been captured for posterity, I'm sure curators Jessica Todd Smith and Kevin M.Murphy also wanted to keep costs down for what was sure not to be a runaway best-seller. According to Smith's introduction, this catalog was not meant to be a comprehensive survey, but to showcase the most visually striking images while representing a variety of print techniques. Much emphasis is given to the political and social engagement of prints depicting city life and city people, many produced by Modernists who were influenced by the Ashcan School. There is also a focus on the Regionalists who depicted rural life, rural people, and landscapes in their prints. The tone of the images ranges from pessimistic to idealistic, and from the wildly fantastic to the merely realistic. This book concludes with a complete exhibition checklist and a helpful glossary for those who wish to learn more about this fascinating, multi-faceted artform.

I would like to draw attention to two of the most exceptional artists featured in this catalog. If ever a printmaker could be described as "famous", Los Angeles artist Paul Landacre would be the one: his studio is now a Los Angeles historic-cultural monument. His black ink, anti-Romantic depictions of mountains, flora, and fauna were featured in many magazines and books from the 1920s to the 1950s. His three wood engravings (Coachella Valley, Death of a Forest, and The Press) in this book are among the most outstanding. The absolute very best, however, would be the John Taylor Arms masterpiece this review is entitled after. The ethereal, dreamlike late-night New York street scene is also part of this book's cover and must be seen to be believed. The misty luminosity and delicate, intricate detail of this work should change the mind of anyone who views the art of printmaking as dull and boring. Interestingly, most of Arms' work was based on European Gothic cathedrals and castles, so this piece is a true ground-breaker for both the artist and for contemporary printmaking.

I've returned to this book many times since making my purchase, and I never cease to be amazed at what's inside. We're told from the beginning that the bulk of the Huntington's print collection is from the second half of the twentieth century, so I will be looking forward to future volumes and exhibitions. Until then, "Pressed in Time: American Prints 1905-50" rates very high in the WOW factor and is highly recommended to those captivated by the subject, whether or not one viewed this exhibition.

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