William Sewell

William J. Sewell (1901–1951) remains an enigmatic figure in American printmaking. Active in the 1930s and 1940s, he produced a handful of modernist lithographs that reflect the themes and tensions of the wartime and postwar era. His works, often signed and dated in pencil, are notable for their scarcity.
Beyond scattered auction appearances and references in specialist dealers’ catalogs, little biographical information has come to light. In this, Sewell exemplifies the many artists whose work survives not through monographs or museum retrospectives but through the diligence of dealers and collectors who recognize their artistic merit.  Though details of his life are sparse, Sewell’s prints stand as compelling artifacts of mid-century modernist expression.

William J. SEWELL - Can I See Into Myself - Lithograph - 1945 - detail
$350

Can I See Into Myself

SEWELL, William

Lithograph on wove paper. No stated edition, and scarce. It isn’t clear that any editions were ever printed for any of the artist’s few lithographs...

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William J. SEWELL - Lover’s Embrace - Lithograph - 1945 - detail
$350

Lover’s Embrace

SEWELL, William

Lithograph on Rives wove paper. No stated edition, and scarce. It isn’t clear that any editions were ever printed for any of the artist’s few litho...

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