It Came from the BASEMENT
Wow. It's been a long time since I've been able to post anything that is "What on Earth?" related. I'd say that 85% of the stuff left behind in the house has been dispatched out into the world. Between Christmas and New Year's, Aaron and I attacked the basement and hauled three more station wagon loads of stuff to the Salvation Army in Evanston.
While I was digging through yet MORE BOXES, I came across what looked like plain wrapping paper folded up. I couldn't resist peeking inside before I pitched it and I'm glad I did.
Ten interesting linoleum prints made by Siegfried R. Weng in 1928.
And I discovered some interesting overlap between some art pieces we've found in the house. Siegfried Weng studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Chicago. In 1928, he was Lecture Assistant to American sculptor, Lorado Taft. Enrique Alferez, the sculptor who did this piece that we found in the house, worked with Lorado Taft between 1927 and 1929 (perhaps longer) and lived in his studio for at least part of that time. He also studied at the Art Institute of Chicago around this time. Rufus Bastian showed up in a news release from the Art Institute of Chicago in 1942, though I am not entirely sure of his connection.
Were these people students together at the Art Institute? Are the other pieces of art I've found in the house and not researched yet also connected to this group? Is James Prestini connected (the bowls we found)? He studied at the Institute for Design (now IIT) in Chicago in 1939. And how about all of the ephemera and artifacts from the University of Chicago that I've found in here?
And how are they all connected to this house?
It's still a mystery.
More about the Weng prints soon.
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Comments
Those are beautiful. Will you keep them or put them up for auction? I vote keep!
Posted by: Heather | January 4, 2007 11:23 AM
I've always wondered what you did with the sculpture, and if you ever found out if it was valuable or not. The prints are great!
Posted by: cristina | January 4, 2007 11:55 AM
An excellent find! I'm sure they'd look great on your walls.
Posted by: Carol | January 4, 2007 12:35 PM
your house . . . a treasure filled with buried treasures! :D
Posted by: ann-marie | January 4, 2007 1:08 PM
How intriguing! I like them. What great conversation pieces too.
Posted by: Jocelyn | January 4, 2007 6:26 PM
Very cool- I wish we found something intriguing every once in awhile. (But of course not all the other "stuff" you've had to deal with!)
Posted by: Trissa | January 4, 2007 8:24 PM
beautiful! what a find!
Posted by: ilsabe | January 5, 2007 8:43 AM
If you do auction them I want in. Those are great.
Posted by: Heidi | January 5, 2007 2:11 PM
That is an *amazing* find. Wowza.
Posted by: Maryam in Marrakesh | January 11, 2007 4:29 AM
I am a friend of Sig Weng. He is a wonderful person and is still going at over 100 years!
This link has info about him
http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/2aa/2aa172.htm
or google Siegfried E. Weng and/or go to Belknap and Covi Galleries in Louisville, KY. He had an exhibition there in 2000.
Posted by: Susan Sauls | March 20, 2007 1:21 PM