Tower, Alhambra Spain by Samuel Chatwood Burton
This is an etching of the Tower at Alhambra, Spain by American etcher Samuel Chatwood Burton. This is from a collection of etchings of Spanish architecture Burton did during a visit in 1922. He employed unusual perspectives to enhance the drama. He especially enjoyed buildings built into cliffsides, such as the tower. He makes good use of chiaroscuro and the plate is nicely toned with hand wiping. A few birds are circling the tower, enhancing the height. It is a crisp impression with good inking. There is likely some mat burn present, but it is well away from the image. It is signed S. Chatwood Burton in pencil lower right. A fine example of this artist.
Samuel Chatwood Burton (1881-1947) Burton was born in England and studied art in Paris and London. He emigrated to the United States in 1912 eventually settling in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was a member of the faculty at the University of Illinois before becoming Professor of Fine Art and Architecture at the University of Minnesota. He was a member of the Chicago Society of Etchers, California Printmakers, American Federation of Arts, and the Minneapolis Art Association. There is some confusion about his date of death, but the best source (Minnesota Prints and Printmakers 1900-1945) states he died in 1947. Another source notes that he took his own life in that year. He received multiple awards from the Minnesota State Fair, and the Minneapolis Art Institute. His work is held by major collections including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Historical Society, and the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
He was a sculptor and painter, but his artistic legacy is primarily through his etchings. He favored architectural subjects and created etchings of buildings from both Europe and the United States. Later in his career he did some very interesting etchings of desert landscapes from the Southwest. However, he is best known for his etchings from a trip to Spain and Morocco in 1922 that were catalogued in his book, Spain Poised, Etchings of Spain. These etchings are characterized by unusual perspectives that capture the stunning architecture in the dramatic geology of Spain.
Price: $125
Size: 12 x 15.5 inches
Plate Size: 6.875 x 8.875 inches
Condition: Very Good
Medium: Etching
Subject: Architecture & Cityscape
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