Accordian Player
Woodcut, undated (1920s-1930s), edition 110. 16 1/4 x 8 in. Signed and numbered in pencil. Signed in ink with the artist's red monogram stamp. This is a fine impression of this large woodcut printed on very thin Japanese paper. The margins are probably full. The condition is very good apart from four small brown paper hinges at the corners and obscure traces of foxing here and there. Eekman was born in Brussels and settled in Paris in 1920. He exhibited widely in Europe and was quite friendly with Mondrian and Signac. He was very active as a painter and woodblock artist and also showed his prints in Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Toronto and Chicago. (There's a wonderful web site which has been organized by the artist's daughter, Luce: nicolaseekman.com.) As seen in the work of Henri van Straten, Victor Delhez and Nicolas Eekman, among others, a macabre and thoroughly captivating sense of humor often pervades Belgian aesthetics during the 1920s and 1930s. Ensor was an influence on this generation.
$1,500

Dance of Death in Seven Tempos
Woodcuts, 1924, edition 200. 10 3/4 x 6 in. Signed in red ink with the artist's monogram on the left and signed in pencil, lower right. This set of seven woodcuts (plus title page) consists of fine, uniform impressions in very good condition. (There are minor wrinkles on the right edge of the title page.) The margins are full as issued. This masterful Belgian expressionist work is printed on one sheet of Toshi paper and presented in an accordian fold, with the original presentation wrapper. Eekman was born in Brussels and settled in Paris in 1920. He exhibited widely in Europe and was quite friendly with Mondrian and Signac. He was very active as a painter and woodblock artist and also showed his prints in Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Toronto and Chicago. (There's a wonderful web site which has been organized by the artist's daughter, Luce: nicolaseekman.com.) As seen in the work of Henri van Straten, Victor Delhez and Nicolas Eekman, among others, a macabre and thoroughly captivating sense of humor often pervades Belgian aesthetics during the 1920s and 1930s. James Ensor is best known and certainly an early inspiration, but there were many other printmakers whose work stands out. This is particulary evident in the woodcut medium and Eekman's version of "danse macabre" is exemplary.
$2,200

Family
Woodcut, circa 1925-30, edition unknown but probably small. 10 1/8 x 5 3/4 in. Signed in pencil lower right. This fine impression is printed on a thin Japanese paper. The margins are narrow (about 1/2" all around). The condition is fine. Eekman developed his own expressionist woodcut style with an emphasis on the figurative. His work can be found in many museum collections.
$500

Man Planting in a Garden
Woodcut, 1920s, edition 96. 7 7/8 x 8 3/4 in. Signed and numbered in pencil. Also, this impression has the artist's red ink monogram in the lower left corner. Here we have a superb, rich impression printed on thin Japanese paper. The margins appear to be full. The condition is very good other than traces of old adhesive in the four margin corners, verso, from an early mount.
$700

Mother and Child
Woodcut, circa 1925, edition perhaps 50. 7 x 5 5/8 in. Signed in red ink with the artist's monogram. Also signed in pencil and inscribed "épr.d'art" (épreuvre d'artiste).This is a rich impression printed on tissue thin oriental paper. The condition is fine apart from a few subtle printing creases which are hardly noticeable. The condition is fine overall and the sheet is attached along the top edge to a larger sheet of brown laid paper, mostly likely by the artist. An outstanding recent book has been published about Eekman: Nicolas Eekman; Peintre et Graveur," by Emmanuel Bréon, Norma Editions (2021). Text is in French and English.
$500

Portrait of a Woman with a Glass
Pencil on light brown paper, undated, 15 x 10 3/4 in. (sheet size). Signed in pencil lower right. This fine quality drawing probably dates from about 1930. It's covered at the edges by a thin gray paper mat which is attached to the front edges of the sheet. The drawing is signed again under the mat, lower left. In addition to his work as a woodcut artist, Eekman was also a skilled painter and draughtsman. This work is from his modernist, art deco period. His later work follows in the tradition of Bosch and Ensor.
SOLD