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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Russian Linocut Prints

Linocut prints are made using linoleum as the relief surface instead of the usual copper plate or wood. Making linocut prints dates back to the early 20th Century in Germany. In making a linocut print the artist makes a design on the surface of the linoleum and cuts away the surface not used for printing by using a knife or a chisel. Many well known artists have used this technique in print making such as; Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Jim Pollack.

“From Russia With Art” Gallery in Cambridge has over 30 different linocut prints, made by Russian artists from the Soviet times. They are mostly based on Russian Tales and heroes of these tales. Prints of The Bear, The Wolf, The Three Little Pigs, The Fox and Hen, Maria Tsarevna, Father Frost, along with Winnie The Pooh, The Little Prince, Thumbalina and others are shown in colored, bright linocut prints, which would make a great gift for any child or lover of Russian art.

These linocut prints were created by Russian artists, such as: Alexander Komarov, Ivan Krokhlov and others, mostly in the Moscow Region, between 1960 and into the 1980’s, at the Enterprise of Art Works of the Art Foundation of Russia. This enterprise, unfortunately was closed during the Perestroika period and very few of these original linocut prints are available now.

All of the linocut prints of Russian Tales in our gallery are naive, attractive and very human, somewhat opposite to modern digital technologies of mass produced prints. We have brought a very limited number of these original linocut prints from Moscow, Russia and they can be seen on our blogspot below. They are for sale at “From Russia With Love” Gallery now for $60. each, unframed, plus postage and handling.






























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