Luigi Kasimir (1881-1962) - Signed Mid 20th Century Etching Yosemite Falls

Description

A very fine early 20th Century etching with wonderfully delicate and detailed aquatint. The scene shows the imposing landscape of the Yosemite Valley with the famous Yosemite Falls cascading down the rocks in the distance. The artist's use delicate line work and confident colour blocking show this to be a fine example of Kasimir's skill as a printmaker. The artist has signed in graphite below the plate line at the lower edge and numbered (24/150) to the lower left. The etching has been presented in a 20th Century oak frame with silver gilt slip and card mount. On wove.

Condition

The condition is typical for a picture of this age including some discolouration. The original plate lines are in tact.

Size

43 x 30cm (16.9" x 11.8")
Framed Size: 70.5 x 58cm (27.8" x 22.8")

Artist Biography

Luigi Kasimir (1881–1962) was an Austro-Hungarian-born etcher, painter, printmaker and landscape artist.
Kasimir was born in 1881 at Pettau, today Ptuj, Slovenia, then a part of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. He inherited his talent from his ancestors; his grandfather was a painter and a poet, and his father an officer in the Habsburg army, who later became a professional painter. Kasimir attended the Vienna Academy of Art where he studied under William Unger, who introduced him to the technique of the coloured etching, and also to his future wife, the artist Tanna Hoernes. He died in 1962 in Grinzing, a suburb of Vienna.
Kasimir was among the first to develop the technique of the coloured etching. Before this, prints were usually hand-coloured with the colour being applied in a casual, haphazard manner. Kasimir would first create a sketch—usually in pastel. He then transferred the design on as many as four to six plates, printing one after the other and applying the colour on the plate—all done by hand.
Kasimir is mainly famous for his etchings, but he also produced some oil painting, as well as some pastels. One of his favourite genres was the landscape, or veduta. He demonstrated a predisposition for monuments, street scenes, and tourist landmarks. He depicted places from all over Europe, mainly Italy, Austria, and Germany. He also travelled to the United States to do a series of etchings of famous sights ranging from urban landmarks such as New York City skyscrapers to natural wonders like Yosemite Valley.
He designed a bookplate for Sigmund Freud, who also hung an etching of the Roman Forum by Kasimir in his consulting room.