Animal PairsĀ byĀ Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita
$20 each; $60 for set of 4
Greetings, collectors! Weāre back with four(!) new handmade letterpress prints featuring the legendary work of Dutch artist Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita (1868-1944). We teamed up once again with Daniel Gardiner Morris from The Arm Letterpress in Brooklyn to revamp these historical gems in richly textured letterpress form.
Weāve revived four of de Mesquitaās Animal PairsāSea Lions, Cows, Gazelles, and Pigeonsāin delightfully distinct 5.25āx10ā prints, each with their own unique imprint and form. Using a deep charcoal ink on creamy warm paper, these letterpress lovelies are a modern spin on traditional methods.
de MesquitaāsĀ Animal PairsĀ are playful presentations of duets in the wild. Originally produced between 1912 and 1931, each pair showcases the creaturesā individual characters with graphic flair.Ā Sea LionsĀ stars the drama queen and the dozerāand a passing gullāin reclined resplendence amongst tenuous water ripples. TheĀ CowsĀ rest rump to rump in a pastoral scene, their patterned coats mimicking the cloudy sky, while the twoĀ Gazellesā fuzzy zigs fit satisfyingly into the grassy zags. Finally, in the latest of the four,Ā PigeonsĀ displays a further streamlined rendering of silhouetted forms punctuated only by light hatchwork feathers.
We first collaborated with Daniel Gardiner Morris on our letterpress remake ofĀ Albrecht DĆ¼rerāsĀ Six Studies of Pillows. While DĆ¼rerās sketches were originally produced as a copper engraving, de Mesquita worked in woodcuts. Ink is applied to the raised areas of the carving in the former and to the recessed areas in the latter. Hundreds of years later, both styles of printmaking are still very much in use, albeit with a few modern conveniences. To produce our modern reimaginings, Morris creates a digital vector of the original image, outputs the negative image to film, and exposes a photopolymer plate. This plate can then be washed out to create the relief artwork from which a print can be made. He then inks the plate and creates letterpress prints using a hand-fed 1960s Vandercook press.
TheseĀ new letterpress printsĀ are sure to be certified crowd-pleasers. Whether youāre a history buff, animal lover, or simply an arty appreciator, these tactile treasures are for Y-O-U. Plus! Though small in size, they pack a powerful art punch, making them fabulous gifts for the discerning giftee. Collect one, collect them all.Ā LetterpressĀ loves company.
