Bristlecone Pine by George Elbert Burr

This is an etching of a Bristlecone Pine by noted American artist George Elbert Burr. The etching was created towards the end of his life when he was living in Arizona. His etchings of the Western landscape represent his most notable work. This etching captures the twisted and gnarled habitus typical of the Bristlecone. He uses drypoint to enhance the needles and cones of the pine. Other pines process behind the featured subject, and distant mountains are visible through the haze in the lower right of the image. A wonderful etching by this master.
The etching is framed (not archival), but has not been examined out of the frame. It appears to be in good condition. It is somewhat lightly struck, but is well inked. It is pencil signed lightly lower left. There is a monogram and copyright mark in the plate lower left. There is evidence of some mat burn well away from the image. There is one spot of foxing along the upper right margin.
George Elbert Burr (1859-1939) was born in Ohio and moved to Missouri at age 10. He studied at the Art Institute of Chicago for a few months but moved back to Missouri before completing his studies. While he initially worked running the family hardware store, he soon became an illustrator for some of the most notable publications of the 19th century, including Harpers, Scribners and The Cosmopolitan. He was employed by the Metropolitan Museum of Art for four years on a project to document the extensive collection of jade—an effort that resulted in over 1000 etchings. He earned enough money to do a 4-year Grand Tour like so many artists of the time. He moved to Denver in 1906 and worked there for many years before moving to Phoenix for the last years of his life. His work is held by most major American museums including the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, the American Art Museum, the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. He worked in most media but is best known for his etchings—particularly those from his years in the desert.

Size: 1930s
Price: $825
Framed Size: 11.25 x 10.25 inches
Plate Size: 5 x 3.5 inches
Condition: Very Good
Medium: Drypoint Etching
Subject: Landscape

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