20th - 21st century

Dimensions: 14.5 x 11 in. (36.83 x 27.94 cm)

Object Type: Print

Creation Place: North America, United States, Connecticut

Medium and Support: Lithograph

Credit Line: Gift of James M. Reed, 2019.

Accession Number: 2019.03.296

This work is not currently on view

This print was made as a collaboration between Ann Chernow and Jim Reed. Ann wanted to experiment with re-creating the surfaces of Pablo Picasso's prints. As the artist herself described:
"I wanted my own prints to attain the unique surfaces and dramatic qualities of certain Picasso prints. I had worked with Jim Reed for years in his Milestone Graphics print studio in Bridgeport, CT, and we approached this new project as a collaboration between artist and printer.

Picasso created several lithographs on zinc. The only information noted for Picasso's The Italian Woman read: ‘zinc re-engraved in the background’, and this lack of detail presented multiple problems. I had never worked on a zinc lithograph, and the phrase, ’re-engraved in the background’ had to be recreated by erasing some areas that had already become an essential part of the work. The usual liquid Jim ‘erased’ with, was no longer available in the U.S.A. A mutual friend in Paris searched all the art material stores there and learned that the substance was no longer produced, probably because its content is now considered hazardous. When we were ‘stuck’ on how to proceed, Jim said, “give me three weeks.” Within a month, he had purchased many chemicals at Home Depot, and had experimented until he finally, literally had cooked up a gummy and horrible smelling substance which he instructed me not to dare breathe in. I tried it on the plate and it worked perfectly. My corresponding work was The American."

You can see the print by Pablo Picasso, The Italian Woman(after the painting by Victor Orsel) The Italian Woman that inspired this work at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City.