Featured Jan C Vondrous etching of Venice

I picked this up at an estate sale this morning and I thought I would post it because I thought it was well done. Etchings are really my passion, as far as my collecting goes. It appears to have been executed in 1914-1915 and is signed and dated in the corner. I really appreciate the fact that it is also signed in the plate, much easier to read. The frame is horrible and the mat is felt and on top of the glass, weird, I have never seen that. I will try to find a frame that is more of the period.

 

This may have been a tourist piece or just bought in a department store. The date is right when WWI started, so that alone would make me curious. It probably had a really friable mat originally and a frame that fell apart. I reframed one myself that was even older but also probably a wedding/tourist gift. That one's mat came apart in my hands. Literally.

 

It's nice, isn't it?

Debora

 

Yes, I think so. It will go up on the wall if I can find a place for it. I believe the writing in the center says 1st state, that is good. Hopefully the framer didn’t do anything bad to it.

 

There are a number of others floating around the internet with auction sales prices.

Debora

 

Jan C. Vondrouš, most probably Czech immigrant.
the style of the drawing is consistent with many Eastern European artists; seems as if they had all the same teacher in Prague.
got one of the Charles Bridge in same style in a lot from a Dresde artists heritage. no big money in it. in fleamarkets you see them going for 25 to 40 € in good nick.