A drypoint etching from 1965. Number 4 out an edition of 10. Publisher's blindstamp in the lower left. Catalog: Fern and O'Sullivan 489. Pencil editioned in the lower left, signed in the lower right. Plate measures 9 x 12 3/4 inches on 15 1/2 x 18 3/4 inch medium wove paper. Baskin was an important artist in the mid 20th century, known for his evocative wood engravings, lithographs, and etchings. In the era of abstract expressionism, Baskin’s work tended toward the representational with a strong classical influence, which is particularly evident in his images of flowers and the natural world. After serving in the Navy during WWII, Baskin began his career as a printmaker in the late 1940s, beginning with simple linocuts, but quickly progressing to dramatic wood engravings, then later etchings and lithographs. Known for his graphic images created by the simple interplay of black on white, combined with his dramatic use of line, Baskin remains one of America's greatest printmakers.
