Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-11-28


greatest scenic glory. Camera and |
pen have thus far proved made !
duate to picture its grandeur and it |
has remained for a member of the
Santa Fe art circle, Gustave Bau- |
mann, TO reflect its beauty 80 that
it can be realized by those who
have not yet visited New MeXico's
Tyrol. The writer was privileged
on Thanksgiving afternoon TO visit
Baumann's studio, or workshop, asl
he calls it. to get a preliminary
view of the eight latest creations
of Baumann's superb art, that of
color and wood block printing.
Seven of these landscapes typical
of the mountain, forest and stream
of Albuquerque's summer land, the
upper Pecos.
1t is there that Baumann spent
some weeks this summer and the
result is manifest in these pictures.
First painted in water color or
"tempera," the picture is cut into
woodblocks by the artist one block
for each color that enters into the
painting. In other words, the
painting is sculptured in beech
arately, lovingly and with infinite
care on imported India paper-line
superimposed upon line, color upon
color--until an effect is produced
softer than that attainable with
brush, highly decorative because of
the masses carefully balanced and
contrasted, and which gives JOY to
the connoisseur and art lover such
as it is difficult to feel over any
other phase of art.
Baumann is acknowledged mas
| ter of this subtle art in America,
and his new productions each year
are in sense real art events. Thus
! far, he has created nothing more
stunning than the prints or the up
per Pecos. He has obtained direct
effects, which because of their di-
rectness, are all the more poig-
nant. There is a crispness about
them that is refreshing and an in
dividuality which causes one to rec
ognize a "Baumann" print no mat
tier where one meets with it, wheth-
err it be in some art gallery in
big city or in some Albuquerque
home where its presence witnesses
| to the owner a discriminating taste
! in art, for 1t is a decided step in
art education to prefer a color
wood block print by a master to
some mediocre painting in Oil.
Holy Ghost Creek.
The museum counts itself fortu-
| nate to be the first to exhibit these
new productions of Baumann's art,
There they will be on view next
week, together with the blocks Of
one of the pictures to show the
process by which these inimitable
prints are produced. Take the one
| for instance which shows, a grassy
dell in the foreground and the ma
| iestic spruce trees in the back,
| climbing above one another up the
steep mountainside. 1t immediate
tly recalls the incompatible scene
| at the mouth of Holy Ghost creek
on the upper reaches Of the Pecos.
| Remember, it is first of all. color
and masses that strike the eye just
as in nature, and then the shadow
! depths beyond which lies more OF
/ the fairyland.
Then there is the rustic bridge
| over the Pecos with huge ciff-like
masses on, each side as supporting
piers, not far from Macho! In the
| foreground are sumach and Wlld
cherry with leaves in brilliant reds
and orange while in the middle
| ground flows the rapid river
/ ''Idyllic" ia the only adjective that
applies. With a necromancy of its
own is a moonlight scene in this
enchanted land under whose spell
so many Albuquerqueans nave
fallen. And who would not love
at glance picture of the winding
road as it descends a side NIL,
guarded as 1t were by lndlan
! fences beyond which one gets
glimpses of unique farm houses
nestled among stunted fruit trees.
The typical bare and rugged
hillside with struggling clumps or
juniper and pinon, the brown,
warm earth and the deep sky, so
blue that it seems solid enamel, is
another bit Of Pecos landscape
which Baumann has vested with
| poetic beauty.
Exhibit Goes to Chicago.
Perhaps, most finest of all, are
those scenes where beyond forest
and stream. one gets glimpses OF
titanic mountain masses whose
solidarity is achieved with con-
viction that other artists have OH.
ficulty in attaining. Lucky dog!
he who can afford to bestow upon
himself a Joy forever, by obtaining
one of these prints; while he or
she who can purchase whole series
is even more to be envied. AS
contrast, perhaps, Baumann mas
made the eighth picture still-nte'
a bouquet of marigolds, a symp-
hony of warm oranges and brilliant
yellows, while near the bouquet
lie several katchina dolls In brill
liant colors. The idea is whimsl-
cal, the composition perfect, The
exhibit will later go to the Chtcago
Art institute and other great GAL
leries in the east. Even though
only a limited number of each
prints Ia produced, yet Santa re
and Albuquerque will be given an
opportunity to retain their Iifst
choice from them.
A Spanish Revival.
/ From the museum went out
movement this week for a renais-
~