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Willow and Deer in the Mist
LEWIS, Allen
Drypoint and etching on laid paper. One of only two impressions in the second state of (?). Signed and annotated “2e St. 2/2”.
Allen LEWIS
Allen Lewis (1873-1957) was a talented and varied printmaker. During high school, Lewis studied at the Buffalo Art Students League (NY) until sailing off to Paris at age 21. There he learned printmaking and became involved in the blossoming artistic scene of the turn of the century. He returned to New York, and in order to supplement his income, began creating bookplates and book illustrations on commission. Allen became best known for color woodcuts created for just such a type of illustrations. But one might posit that his etchings and wood engravings were equally arresting. His talent in multiple printmaking media made him a great collaborated in book publishing, and Lewis was particularly skilled at translating literature into visual renditions. His woodcuts present characteristic bold outlines, while his etchings are generally soft and realistic. During a Parisian exhibition in in the late 1800s, in which both Lewis and James Abbott McNeill Whistler participated, the former was even compared to the etching master. Lewis won multiple prizes during his lifetime, including the gold medal at the 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition in San Francisco. He taught at the Art Students League and New School in New York and was a member of both the Brooklyn Society of Etchers and the National Academy of Design, inspiring future generations of artists.
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