The Willows,
1919
Medium
Graphic Arts-Print
Classification
Graphic Arts-Print
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Harry Katz in memory of Harry Katz
Accession Number
1977.66.16
Tags
Art Historical Context
**The Willows** (1919) by Kerr Eby is a poignant graphic arts print from the Smithsonian American Art Museum collection, gifted by Mrs. Harry Katz in of Harry Katz. Created just after World War I's end, this work captures a male figure—a soldier—beneath willow trees, evoking the quiet aftermath of conflict. Eby, a skilled American printmaker, drew from his own wartime experiences to produce evocative scenes like this one, blending realism with emotional depth. The etching medium allows for intricate details, from the delicate droop of willow branches to the soldier's weary posture, highlighti...
About the Artist
Kerr Eby
Kerr Eby (1889–1946) was a Canadian-born American printmaker and painter who became one of the most accomplished etchers of his generation and a powerful chronicler of the experience of war. Born in Tokyo to Canadian parents, he grew up in New York and studied at the Pratt Institute and the Art Students League under George Bridgman. Eby volunteered for service in World War I and saw action in Fra...