Isaac

1933 · H29180 — New York: Self Published 1933. Very good. 11 woodcuts mainly on sheets measuring approx. 10 x 7.5 inches generally very good condition with pencil titles occasional signature and some with quotations from the poems. With title leaf 11 x 7.5 inches reprinting the enigmatic dedication to the published book of sonnets signed "T. T." -- the publisher was Thomas Thorpe -- and dedicated to "Mr. W. H." which has caused much speculation over the years. The illustration for CXXIII is dated New York 1933 and signed. Sonnet XII has the first two lines of the poem written in pencil probably in Friedlander's hand the same with Sonnet VII. Sonnet XVIII has only the title written in pencil underneath the image. Sonnet XXVII has the entire sonnet written in pencil mainly on the verso and shows light tanning and wear creases to lower left and upper right slight wear along left edge and small tissue tape on one corner of verso no stain. Sonnet LIII has two lines of the poem written in pencil underneath the image light corner creasing and toning. Sonnet XCVII has title in pencil light creasing to lower right corner some toning. Sonnet 20 measures 9 x 7 is signed underneath has wear to upper left corner: stained or perhaps singed and recornered with rice paper. Sonnet XXXIV has four lines in pencil under image shows light toning and darkening. Sonnnet 66 is titled and signed in pencil hows tiny loss to lower right corner and very faint stain to lower left and upper right corners. Friedlander was born in Latvia. He was sentenced to death at age 15 for anti-Tsarist remarks and managed to escape to Rome thanks to his friendship with Maxim Gorky and his mother selling off her jewelry; he studied at the academy in Rome and then emigrated to New York in 1929 sponsored by his cousin Joseph Hirschhorn. During the Depression he worked as an artist for the WPA. He was a prolific artist well represented in exhibits and in museum collections. Self Published unknown