Sun in the Hills
1951
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
woodcut and color stencil on wove paper
Dimensions
sheet: 38.1 × 45.88 cm (15 × 18 1/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Ruth Cole Kainen in honor of the artist's 90th birthday
Accession Number
1999.82.43
Art Historical Context
**Sun in the Hills**1951) is a striking print by American artist Jacob Kainen masterfully executed in woodcut and color stencil on wove paper. 15 × 18 1/16 inches, this work captures the essence of mid-20th-century print innovation. Created just after World War II, reflects a period when artists like Kainen pushed boundaries in graphic arts, blending craftsmanship with emerging modernist sensibilities. The dual technique is particularly noteworthy: woodcut involves carving intricate designs into wood blocks for bold, textured relief printing, while color stencil—reminiscent of pochoir methods...
About the Artist
Jacob Kainen
Jacob Kainen was born on December 7, 1909, in Waterbury, Connecticut, to Russian immigrant parents who nurtured his cultural interests; his father was an inventor, and his mother instilled a love of music and literature. The family relocated to New York City in 1918, where Kainen immersed himself in art through newspaper clippings and visits to the Metropolitan Museum. After graduating from DeWitt...