Six Views of New York by Luigi Kasimir
In 2000 and 2001 Swann Galleries (a New York auction house) held New York City auctions. All the items: books, posters, maps, ephemera, photographs, prints and art were related to the city. It was a great concept that they discontinued after 2001. It was at these auctions where I first encountered the art work of Luigi Kasimir.
Kasimir was born in 1881 in the Austrian-Hungarian Empire and later came to New York where he repeatedly captured the architectural sights of the city. Today, Kasimir is best known for his detailed etchings, many of which were done in color, which apparently was not the norm for early 20th century etchings. The New York Times distinguished Kasimir from other etchers of the time at a contemporary exhibition in 1926 by referring to him as a “colorist.” These aquatints have a vibrancy that makes the New York of the 1920’s and 1930’s come alive. Kasimir was prolific and produced hundreds of works until his death in 1962.
His work is widely seen in museums and galleries and is available frequently at auction and through art dealers, sometimes for as little as a few hundred dollars.
Someone should compile his New York related work into a book.
(click on any picture to enlarge)
The Fulton Fish Market
New York From Governor’s Island
Bowling Green 1927
Fifth Avenue 1927
Brooklyn Bridge 1936
Absolutely gorgeous! Such detail. If this was made nowadays, I would say this must have been fsome function of Photoshop, because it’s impossible to squeeze such details into an etching like that.
Thank you very much for these incredible etchings. Each one like a short story to be told.