Featured 4 Recent Mexican (?) Prints

I found these today for $3 each. They seemed to me to be quality prints, likely done by an accomplished artist (s).

All 4 are 12 x 16 cm (4.75" x 6.25"). All are impressed on the paper, such that there's a ridge from the plate / block on the back. All are on the same paper (imprinted 'Ediciones Lopez Monreal'; there's apparently an artist named Lopez Monreal--not sure if there's a connection there).

3 have the same signature; 1 has a different signature, but it's in quotes, so maybe it's not a signature.

Can anyone read the signature(s)?

Are these linoleum block prints?

Are they likely southern Mexican?

Do you also think they're well-done?

I thank you fine folks in advance!

 

'Santo Niño de Atocha' or 'Holy Child of Atocha'
'Cristo Crucificado' or 'Christ Crucified'
'San Judas Tadeo' or 'St. Jude Thaddaeus'
'Sagrado Corazón' or 'Sacred Heart'

There is an artist named López Monreal from Zacatecas, México but "Ediciones" typically means a publisher. There is a López Monreal foundation; perhaps it has a publishing arm.

Debora

 

Thanks Debora-- I'll follow those leads.

 

I looked for you but couldn't find anything to confirm. Here's the Foundation's Facebook page. You could always ask re the Editorial.

https://www.facebook.com/santero107?locale=es_LA

Debora

 

Interesting that each is the 16th in a run of 30. Makes me think they were sold as a set.

 

Yes-- interesting. I hadn't noticed that.

 

The first three look like they're by a different artist than the fourth one.

 

And all of the same subject.

Debora

 

They look to me like either lino or woodcuts, but both of those are relief processes. If run through a press and printed with sufficient pressure to create a plate mark, the plates wouldn't last very long. But 30 is a short run, some papers will no doubt indent more easily than others, and in many printing processes the paper is used damp specifically to make it more pliable. It doesn't look like the pressure was particularly heavy. Some indent might be expected.

 

Yes, you're right-- and the handwriting seems different too.

 

I actually make linocut prints myself, and the paper seems like the 'cold-pressed' 'Arches 88' paper I use. It's thick. The even-ness of the ink transfer to these papers, and the sharpness of the edge details they bring out, are way beyond anything I can do. But again, I'm a mediocre amateur.

 

You might try contacting the person who has this website - he/she might recognize the signatures.

https://www.drawcutinkpress.com/south-american-linocut-artists/

 

Here's the inspiration for the Santo Niño de Atocha image.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Infant_of_Atocha

Debora

 

And that of San Judas Tadeo.

Debora