Name/Title
Print: Early Glass 1012-3Description
A eight-screen/eleven-color silkscreen print on off-white linen depicting various forms of 18th and 19th century glass. Included are a candlestick, vases, a pitcher, mugs, goblets, demijohns, and bottles. Manufacturing processes represented include blown glass, mold-blown glass, and enameled glass. Glass objects are supported on bracketed shelves. Wert’s typical trailing vines issue from two bottles to further activate the composition.
Historical references appear on several mold-blown glass bottles. One with an eagle (top center), another with a sidewheel steamer and slogan, “THE AMERICAN SYSTEM” (bottom row, left), and a third bears a sheaf of wheat with the slogan, “USE ME BUT DO NOT ABUSE ME” (bottom row, second from left). A fourth bottle is illustrated with two buildings with onion-domed spires, possibly representing Russian Orthodox churches (bottom row, center).
The active composition gives early American antiques a mid-20th century relevance. This is an extremely ambitious print requiring eight silkscreens and producing eleven or more colors.
This item appears in the c.1955 brochure “Country Prints in Frames”; see images.
Edges are bound in white tape consistent with other known Country Prints sales samples.Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Robert Darr WertRole
ArtistManufacturer
Country PrintsDate made
circa 1950 - circa 1952Time Period
20th CenturyPlace
Location
Gill MA.Continent
North AmericaInscription/Signature/Marks
“EARLY GLASS”, lower left corner, and “ROBERT DARR WERT BY HAND“, in block print, with burnt orange heart, lower right corner.Material
Linen, Chipboard, Adhesive TapeColors
Color
chartreuse, Light Green, Dark Green, Aqua, Brown, Navy, Light Blue, Burnt OrangeColor Notes
Several additional colors are produced by overprinting two or more colors.
