Paul
Landacre, American (1893-1963)
Paul Landacre is best known for a very individual and refined
style of wood engraving, where delicate white lines and sensitive cross
hatching and flecking contrast dramatically with large dark areas of ink. A
dedicated naturalist, Landacre created sensual
interpretations of plant and animal life that became increasingly abstract
designs. His work is considered by many to be the standard that other wood
engravings are judged by, all the more remarkable as Landacre
taught himself the technique that became his exclusive form of expression. He
maintained careful control of his work, pulling almost all of his own prints,
selecting the ink and paper, and fine tuning every aspect of the printing
process.
Landacre began his professional career as a
commercial artist, but in 1926 dedicated himself entirely to wood engraving and
quickly found recognition. He illustrated several award-winning books of poems
and his first solo book, California Hills
and Other Wood Engraving, won a Fifty Books of the Year award from the
American Institute of Graphic Arts in 1931. His wood engravings were featured
in the 1939