82: MERRITT MAUZEY (TEXAS 1898-1973) PENCIL SIGNED LITHO

Merritt Mauzey (Texas, 1898-1973)
Boatright's
The lithograph from a very low edition of prints, a nice dark impression, is signed by the artist in pencil below the image lower right and titled lower left with annotation 'Ed 22.'

Merritt Mauzey was a charter member of the Lone Star Printmakers, established in 1938 with the mission of promoting Texas artists in ways similar to that of the Associated American Artists organization.

This image was included in Lone Star Regionalism, the Dallas Nine, exhibition. catalog, Rick Stewart, Dallas Art Museum, 1985; Prints and Printmakers of Texas, Ron Tyler, edit. Texas State Hist. Assoc., 1997.

Merritt Mauzey was an artist. Despite all the other things he may have had to do to feed his family and keep a roof over his head, he always came back to art. One could argue he was essentially self-taught. True enough there was the correspondence course offered by the Fine Art Institute in Omaha, Nebraska (lessons conducted through the mail to, ''Learn to Draw or Paint in Watercolors, Oil and Decorate China'' according to a 1909 newspaper ad) and the night class in Dallas at Bryan High School. It is said that at printmaking he taught himself, and judging from his biography and the scant instances of 'formal training' his passion probably was to credit with most of his art acuity. He ultimately won more than a few prizes for his work as an artist and considerable recognition. The fact that his path in life took him to Texas seems to summarize the type of artist he was as well: a sort of Texan approach to Art.
Image measures 10 x 13.5, sheet is 13 x 20 inches.
Very good condition, the full untrimmed sheet, not laid down, no damage, stain, punctures, tears or repair, the sheet is lightly and evenly toned overall, scattered bits of foxing in the margins, there is no sign this print was ever framed, saving it from harmful exposure to acidic framing materials.
$600 - $900