The Red Scow

Blanche Lazzell, Amer., (1878-1956), The Red Scow, Charcoal Drawing, 1931, 12-1/8 x 13-7/8 on thin grayish wove tracing paper, the entire sheet measuring 13-7/8 x 17 at widest, tack and staple holes mostly to margin corners with small nicks to edges of top and upper side margins. Signed & dated by the artist with fine black ink in image at lower left, with a ruled charcoal border, a small area of brown stain lower margin right of center, a couple of spots in image above, and slight toning at sheet edges. Contour lines traced in pencil verso for transfer to the block. Lazzell's cubist Provincetown composition is a masterpiece of pictoral tension; we feel the slightly divergent perspective of the scow tightly locked between the two beached boats, tree and houses. This is the preparatory drawing for Lazzell's celebrated white line color woodcut "The Red Scow". Purchased from the artist's estate, and offered here for the first time. One of three important preparatory drawings for her woodcuts currently in inventory.