For our 99th e-catalogue, we present a cross-section of Lynd Ward’s oeuvre from a small private collection. Those who have fallen under the spell Ward conjured from the dramatic interplay of light and dark in his wood engravings typically encounter it through the six wordless novels he published between 1929 and 1937. And yet, Ward illustrated more than 200 books over a half-century career. Ward imbued his spirit—the spirit of his age, of hope and resiliency, of grief and recognition—into each of his projects. As a collected corpus, such as that assembled here, they likewise portray the spirit of a life.
(Newton Center, MA: c. 1918). Original watercolor, ink, and graphite on paper mounted to cardstock, depicting a young World War One soldier parading an American flag. A note on the verso states that Ward created the image in eighth grade, and later gave it as a gift to a classmate..... More
(N.p. n.d.). Color woodcut by Lynd Ward, portraying a cherub hovering over a cannon. Signed by Ward and inscribed to "DBJ"—presumably Dan Burne Jones, who was working on a bibliography of Ward's work alongside one of Rockwell Kent's. Although the latter reached publication, the former apparently did not. Fine. Matted..... More
(N.p. n.d.). Christmas card with only one side printed, and with woodcut tipped-in. The woodcut shows the New Year's baby grasping a torch and artist's tools and flying away from sinister figures, an eagle, and planes dropping bombs. The facing text reads, "...And a/happy new year/May and Lynd Ward." Faint..... More
NY: Jonathan Cape and Harrison Smith, (1930). First edition, second printing. This is Ward's second woodcut novel, with the story told exclusively via woodcut illustrations. Through this dramatic and expressive non-verbal style, Ward communicated situations and emotions using nothing more than the woodcut's stark contrast of black and white. A...... More
Cleveland and NY: World Publishing Company, 1967. Octavo. (viii), (194)pp. Inscribed on the half-title by Lynd Ward to Dan Burne Jones, who worked, albeit without public fruition, on a bibliography of Ward's works. Without text, this "story" tells with pictures the tale of a young man trapped in a drab..... More
