JecrsoN Les NnssrrrPrints from the Collection of

S. William and Leona Pelletier

Knox Gallery of Prints and DrawingsMarch 30 - June 13, 1999

Georgia lvluscunr ,f n,, @l

The Universiry of Georgia

INrnooucrroN

A student of midwestern regionalist painter

Thomas Hart Benton, Jackson Lee Nesbitt (b.

1913) has created a body of prints recalling lifein the midwest during the Great Depression.

Born in McAlestet Oklahoma, Nesbitt trained

at the Kansas Ciry Art Institute in the 1930s

and early 1940s, studying painting and

composition with Benton and printmakingwith regionalist painter John deMartelly. As a

student and young artist, he created numerous

paintings and prints largely in the American

Scene tradition of familiar, everyday subject

matter. In the etching Nouember Euening, for

example, a farmer rides on his horse through

the center of a countryside drawn in great,

loving detail, the split-rail fence, grasses and

fields, and finger-like clouds of dusk framing

the composition. According to the artist,"Tom Benton and I were on a trip together

and were making a drawing of this muddyroad when the old guy on the horse rode by.

Thinking we were surveyors, he allowed the

road could stand some 'fixin' up." Nesbitt

executed the scene with fine networks ofinfinitesimal lines, flecks, and crosshatchings

which were drawn on a wax-covered plate and

etched in stages, the resulting crevices filledwith ink, and, lastly, the plate printed.

In the 1950s, as interest in regionalism

waned, Nesbitt turned to commercial art.

Much later, in the 1980s, in the midst of anationwide, renewed appreciation of art fromthe Depression years, he returned to

printmaking, creating a number of lithographswith imagery inspired by previous works and

by his life in the midwest. The exhibitioncontains twenty-seven prints and twodrawings from the collection of S. \Tilliamand Leona Pelletier of Athens. Generous

support for this exhibition was provided by

Directort Circle member Martin E. Segal.

Additional support for the exhibitions and

programs at the Georgia Museum of fut is

provided, in part, by the Georgia Council forthe futs through the appropriations of the

Georgia General Assembly.

Patricia PhaganCurator of Prints and Drawings

Organizer of the Exhibition

RETATED EDUCATION PROGRAM:

Lrcture: Jachson Lee NesbittThursday, April 15, 5:30 p.m.

Jackson Lee Nesbitt will be on hand for this slide-illustrated talk in which he will discuss his work andthe work of his contemporaries, including his

former teacheq artist Thomas Hart Benton.

Copies of Earl Retif and Ann Salzer, Jackson Lee Nesbitt:The Graphic \Wo rk, New Orleans, I993, are auaikbb forpurchase in the Museum Shop.

CsBcxusr oF rsB ExHIBITIoN

1. Jester (Feste),1935 7.Etching in black ink on thick, light-beige wove paperPlatemark: 279x224.1 mm. (10 31132x827132

inches)Sheet: 350 x 286 mm. (13 21132 x 1l l/4 inches)Printed by the artistEdition of 50Retif & Salzer 1, only state

2. Blind Beggar, 1935Etching in black ink on cream wove paperPlatemark: 227 x 174 mm. (8 I 5/ l6 x 6 27132 inches)Sheet: 339 x 263 mm, (13 11132 x 10 11/32 inches)

Printed by the artistEdition of 25Retif 6r Salzer 2, only state

Don Quixote, 1935Etching in black ink on thick, beige wove paperPlatemark: 152 x 125 mm. (5 31132 x 4 29132 inches)Sheet: 178 x 150 mm. (7 x5 29132inches)Printed by the artistEdition of 25Retif & Salzer 3, only state

Chwn, 1936Etching in black ink on cream wove paperPlatemark: 198.5 x 152.5 mm. (7 13116 x 6 inches)

Sheet: 271 x 236 mm. (10 21132 x 9 9/32 inches)

Printed by the artistEdition ofabout 30Retif & Salzer4ivliv

Ozark Minstrel, 1937Drypoint in black ink on cream-colored rvove paperPlatemark: 277 x2l9 mm. (10 29132x 8 1/8 inches)

Sheet: 420 x 301 mm. (16 17132 x ll 27 132 inches)Printed by the artistF.dition of about 8Retif & Salzer 5

Thpping a Heat, 1937Etching in black ink on cream wove paper

Platemark: 303 x236 mm. (11 3/4 x 9 l/16 inches)

Sheer: 374 x 298 mm. (14 23132 x 11 23132 inches)

Printed by the artistEdition o[ B0

Commissioned by Shetfield Steel CorporarronRetif & Salzer 7

8.

o

t.

Open Hearth Men, 1937Etching in black ink on white wove paperPlatemark: 152 x 127 mm. (5 31132 x 5 inches)Sheet: 206 - 204 x 151 - 152 mm. (B 1/16 x 5 31132

inches)Printed by the artist3 or 4 prools onlyCommissioned by the president of Sheffield Steel

CorporationRetifl & Salzer 8, only state (artist's proof)

B;lkt Mill, 1938Etching in black ink on cream laid paperPlatemark: 302 x 234.5 mm. (l 1 7 18 x 9 7 | 32 inches)Sheet: 468.5 x356 mm. (187116 x 14 1/32 inches)Printed by the artistEdition oF 80Commissioned by Sheffield Steel CorporationRetif& Salzer 10

Charging Molten Metal (Open Hearth), 1938Etching in black ink on ivory wove paperPlatemark: 301 x235 mm. (11 27132x 9 1/4 inches)Sheet: 347 x 298 mm. (13 21132 x 11 23132 inches)Printed by the artistEdition of 80Commissioned by Sheffield Steel CorporationRetilEt Salzer 12, only state

Stripping Ingou, 1939Etching in black ink on off-white wove paperPlatemark: 302 x 233 mm. (1 I 7/8 x 9 3/ I 6 inches)Sheet: 344 x297 mm. (13 l7l32x 11 ll/16 inches)Printed by the artisrEdition of 80Commissioned by Sheffield Steel CorporationRetil& Salzer 14, only state

lVire Mill, 1939Etching in black ink on off-white wove paperPlatemark: 234 x3A3 mm. (9 7132 x l1 15116 inches)Slreet: 303 x 346 - 344 mm. (1 I l5l16 x 13 518 -

13 lTl32inches)Printed by the artistEdition of 80Commissioned by Sheffield Steel CorporationRetif & Salzer 1 5, only state

10.

18.12. The Goose (Changing of Shift), 1939

Etching in black ink on ivory wove PaPerPlatemark: 304.5 x234 mm. (11 13/16 x 9 1/8

inches)Sheet: 336 x279.5 mm. (13 7/32 x 1l inches)

Printed by the artistEdition of 80

Edition commissioned by Shetfield Steel CorporationRetif & Salz-er 17, only state

Watering Phce, 1939Etching in black ink on cream-colored wove paper

Platemark: 3ll x246 mm. (12 ll4 x9 | 1/16 inches)

Sheet: 360 x 290 mm. (14 3116 x l l 13/32 inches)

Edition printed and commissioned by Associated

American Artists, New YorkEdition of 250Retifand Salzer 18, only state

Ozrtrh Bridge, l94lEtching in black ink on light-beige wove paper

Platemark: 303 x 243 mm. ( I I l5l 16 x 9 9/ l6 inches)

Sheet: 409 x 319 mm. (16 3132 x 12 9/16 inches)

Printed by the artist (before the edition printed byAssociated Arnerican Artists)

Retif & Salzer 20, only state

15. Euening in March, 1942Etching in black ink on medium weight, light-beige

wove PaPerPlatemark: 304 x229 mm. (11 31132 x 9 1/32 inches)

Sheet: 409 x 304 mm. (16 3132 x 11 3ll32 inches)

Printed by the arrist (before the edition printed by

Associated American Artists)Retif & Salzer 22, only state

16. Blooming Mill, 194,Etching in black ink on ivory wove PaPerPlatemark: 256 x 350 mm. (10 ll16 x 13 25132 inches)

Sheet: 310 x 408.5 mm. (12 7132 x 163/32 inches)

Printed by the artistEdition of 70Retif & Salzer 23, only state

17. Nouenber Euening 1946Etching in black ink on lighebeige wove paper

Platemark: 226 x 304 mm. (B 29132 x 1l 3ll32 inches)

Sheet: 308 x 404 mm. (12 ll8 x 15 29132 inches)

Edition printed and commissioned by Associated

Arnerican ArtistsEdition o1250Retif Er Salzer 24, only state

Soahing Piu, 1946Etching in black ink on beige wove PaPerPlatemark: 250 x 350 mm. (9 27132 x 13 25132

inches)

Sheet: 320 x 433 mm. (12 19132 x 17 1/16 inches)

Printed by the artistEdition of 70Retif& Salzer25

October Afiernoon, 1946Etching in black ink on cream wove PaPerPlatemark: 241 x345 mm. (9 ll2 x 13 19/32 inches)

Sheet: 325 x 431 mm. (12 25132 x 16 3il32 inches)

Edition printed and commissioned by Associated

American ArtistsEdition o1250Retif & Sa.lzer 26, only state

Tuelue hrch Mill (Rod M;ll, ShefieA Steel, Kansas City),

1948Etching in black ink on light-beige rvove paper

Platemark: 261 - 260 x 353.5 - 314.5 mm. (10 1/4 x

l3 15i l6 inches)

Sheet: 321 x 446 mm. (12 518 x 17 9/16 inches)

Printed by the artistEdition o[70Retif & Salzer 28, only state

21. Casting Blast Furnace, 1951

Lithograph in black ink on thick, cream wove Papetlmage: 286 x 404 mm. (l I 1/4 x 11 29132 ir,ches)

Sheet: 402 x 578 mm. (15 131 16 x 22 314 inches)

Printed by Robert BlackburnEdition of 70Retif& Salzer 31, only srate

22. Old Man uirh a Violin, 1955 (prinred in 1984)

Etching in black ink on thick, rvhire rvove paper

Platemark: 325 x271 mm. (i2 21132 x 10 21132

inches)Sheet: 495 x 375 rnm. (19 112 x i4 3/4 inches)

Printed by Mohammad Khalil as part of rhe edirioncompleted by June and Norman Kraelt in 1984

Edition of 137

Retif & Salzer )4, only srate

23. Ouer Ffu Years of Seruice-Onaha Steel \Y/orks, 1959

Graphite on paperImage: 354 x 509 mm. (13 15132 x 20 li32 inches)

Sheet: 360 x5l7 mm. (143116 x 20 12132 inches)

Preliminary drawing for Retif & Salzer 35

19.

t3.

14.

20.

24. Ozarh Farmer, 1988Lithograph in black ink on thick, beige wove paperlnage: 322x246 mm. (12 lll16 x 9 11/16 inches)Slreet: 446 x 341 mm. (17 9l16 x 13 7/16 inches)Edition printed and published by Rolling Stone Press

(Atlanta)Edition of 250Retif & Salzer 36, only stare

25. Aucriort Barn,1989Lrrhograph in black ink on rhick, beige rvove paperInrage: 320 x 434 n'tm. (12 19132 x 17 3/32 inches)Sheet: 380 x 498 mm. (14 31132 x i9 l9132 inches)Edition prinred and published by Rolling Srone Press

(Atlanta)Edirion of 250Retif & Salzer 37, only srare

26. The L[atheu lV. Johnston Fanily 1990Lithograph in black ink on thick, light-beige wov€ paperlnage: 242 x 317 mm. (9 17132 x 12 11132 inches)Sheet: 311 x 380 mm, (12 ll4 x 14 31132 inches)Edition printed and published by Rolling Stone Press

(Arlan ta)

Edition of 250Retii & Salzer 39, only state

)i. Calhour Sreel 1990Lithograph in black ink on light-beige rvove paper

u'ith a rvarermark of BFK RIVES/FRANCElmage: 3il x297 mm. (13 13116 x 1l I l/i6 inches)Sheer: 4i3 x 382 mm. (17 27132 x l5 l/32 inches)Edirion prinred and published by Rolling Stone Press

(Atianra)Edition of 2i0Retii & Salzer 40, only state

28. Drilling. 1912Pen and black ink, rvirh graphite, on thick, beige rvove

PaPerIrnage: 282 x407.5 mm. (11 3132x16 1/4inches)Sheer: 392 x 4 j7 mm. (15 7l16 x I B inches)R:lared to rhe lirhograph December A,fternoon (Reif &.

Salzer 4 I )

29. Dccenber Afernoon, 1993Lirhograph in black ink on thick, Iight-beige wove paperIn.rage: 314 x 420 mm. (12 318 x 16 17132 inches)Sheet: 382 x 493 mm. (15 ll32 x l9 13/32 inches)Edition printed and published by Rolling Stone Press

(Arlanta)Edirion of 250Retif & Salzer 4 l, only state

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