Matt Clark (1903-1972) was a wonderful American illustrator known primarily for two things: 1) his illustrations depicting the west, and 2) his terrific dry-brush approach to illustration. That dry-brush technique Clark employed worked wonderfully in the pulps, and added movement and energy to his work. I’m please to offer a lovely dry-brush and watercolor piece by Clark. Possibly a preliminary piece done in preparation for a more finished work, this image is a little master class in how to create a lively image in which the scene is not lively. A woman walks towards a stage coach, with figures milling about, attending to the horses and stage. The dry-brush approach is marvelous, with flicks of ink here and there. It’s amazing how few strokes Clark needed to construct the stage coach. Just check out that wagon wheel. So deceivingly simple. The watercolor work is muted, yet rich. Some of it might be gouache, but some looks like transparent watercolor. You can see that there are old glue stains in the borders, likely from an old matting job, but thankfully the image is unaffected. The piece measures 8¼”x 10¼” and was executed on heavy illustration board. A lovely example by a master illustrator. $145.00 + 11.00 first class shipping. SOLD!
