Chamber of Genius

small class13Thomas Rowlandson (1756 or 1757-1827), The Chamber of Genius, April 2, 1812. Etching with hand coloring. Graphic Arts GC112 Thomas Rowlandson Collection

Beginning on Monday, 3 February 2014, one of the new classes being offered at Princeton University is  ART 349 / HUM 349 / VIS 345 “The Artist at Work” taught by Prof. Irene V. Small. “What are the environments, fictions, fantasies, and ideologies that condition the artist at work?” asks the course description, “This course takes as its investigative locus the artist’s studio, a space of experimentation and inspiration, but also of boredom, sociability, exhaustion, and critique.”

This led to a quick look through the graphic arts collection to see how many artists’ studios are represented in our prints and drawings. Here are a few examples.

small class14Raphael Soyer (1899-1987), In the Studio [copy 2], no date [1944]. Lithograph. Graphic Arts Collection GA 2012.02707.

small class12William Heath (1795-1840), The Artist, 30 August 1812. Etching with hand coloring. Graphic Arts Collection GA 2013.00001.

small class11Benoit-Louis Prevost (1747-ca. 1804) after design by Charles-Nicolas Cochin, II (1715-1790), Untitled [Art school], [1763]. Etching. Graphic Arts Collection GA 2012.00295.

small class10Jean Duplessis-Bertaux (1750-1818), Suite des 6 pieces epreuves d’artists, [ca. 1810]. Etching and engraving. Graphic Arts Collection GA 2012.00499

small class9Jean Duplessis-Bertaux (1750-1818), Suite des 6 pieces epreuves d’artists, [ca. 1810]. Etching and engraving. Graphic Arts Collection GA 2012.00499

small class5Michael McCurdy, Self Portrait, no date. Wood engraving. Graphic Arts Collection GA 2007.01841

small class3Gebbie & Husson Co. after a design by Paul Mathey (1844-1929), The First Trial [Felicien Rops in His Studio], 1893. Photogravure. Graphic Arts Collection GA 2007.04037.

small class2Jacob de Geyn (1565-1610), Jacobus de Geyn, Antverp Pict. et sculpt. 1610. Engraving. Graphic Arts Collection

small class16Philip Galle (1537-1612) after designs by Jan van der Straet (1523-1605), Color Olivi [The invention of Oil Painting], plate 14 from Nova Reperta, 1500s. Engraving. Graphic Arts Collection.

small class15Harry Brodsky (1908-1997), Studio Interior, no date. Lithograph. Graphic Arts Collection GA 2007.00899.