West Virginia Hills

Blanche Lazzell, Amer., (1878-1956), "West Virginia Hills", Charcoal Drawing, ca. 1919, 10-1/4 x 8-3/8, the preliminary study drawing for the early white line color woodcut on grayish cream wove paper, the entire sheet measuring 12 x 9, with tack holes to the corners, titled by the artist in pencil at lower left, slight lightening within mat opening, tack holes to corners, unsigned. This rapid and vital drawing is expressionist in execution; likely sketched direct from nature in the rolling hills of her native Maidsville, West Virginia. Lazzell uses short staccato strokes with select stumping of vine charcoal to convey the mass and movement of the layered arching hills and bare trees at center reaching towards the sky. From the artist's estate, purchased from Martin Diamond circa 1994. A important drawing by Lazzell for one of her earliest prints, demonstrating her embrace of modernist tendencies.