$47,000
John LaFarge (American, 1835-1910) The Enchantress Unsigned, identified on a presentation plaque and a label from The Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, New York, affixed to the reverse. India ink on uncut woodblock, 6 3/4 x 5 1/2 in. (17.2 x 14.0 cm), framed. Condition: Splits to panel, not examined out of frame. N.B. John LaFarge was a 'Renaissance Man' and leading American artist of the Aesthetic movement. He worked in a variety of media which combined elements from disparate artistic styles. It is in his illustrations that we see the influence of Japanese prints and the English Pre-Raphaelite movement. Kathleen Foster writes, 'La Farge's interest in illustration dated from the 1850s, along with his early study of Ruskin and the Pre-Raphaelites, but his serious work along such lines began after a lengthy illness in 1865-1867 forced him to give up outdoor work.'1 His fantastical illustrations were considered somewhat gothic with a distinct Japanese influence, and used Japanese painting techniques to create a softness and instill a sense of mystery. 'La Farge introduced a new mood of imaginative fantasy into American illustration. Often he dealt with terrifying themes, such as danger, abandonment, [and] strange encounters...'2 1. Adams, Henry, et al., John LaFarge, (New York: Abbeville Press, 1987), p. 132. 2. Ibid, p. 34.
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2007-09-07
