David B. Milne Pencil Signed Color Drypoint Etching Hilltop Painting Place 1931 Colophon Edition in Mat Unframed

Painting Place by Canadian artist David Brown Milne - (1882-1953) is an original two color drypoint etching commissioned and published by the Colophon quarterly in 1931 in a Limited Edition of 3000. The print was hand signed in pencil by the artist.

This auction is for the etching only and does not include the journal from which it was removed.

Title: Painting Place (Hilltop)
Artist: David Brown Milne - (1882-1953) - Canadian artist
Technique: Two-Color Drypoint Etching
Signature: Signed in pencil by the artist.
Date Published: 1931
Edition: From a Limited Edition of 3000 commissioned and published by The Colophon in 1931. This print is state iv of vi, which was not signed in the plates.
Dimensions: Sheet size - 8-1/2 x 10-1/2 inches, Image size - 6-1/2 x 6-1/2 inches, Mat size - 11 x 14 inches.
Condition: The print is in Very Good condition without foxing, age toning, tears, and creases.
Because of the increased demand for this print by collectors, these prints are becoming more difficult to find.
References: The Colophon Index 1930-1935; Reflections in a Quiet Pool, The Prints of David Milne (1980) by Rosemarie Tovell. The print is listed as No. 63 in the catalog.
Printing: A strong impression printed in two colors on natural Fabriano paper by the artist from his original plates. The prints were made at Milne's studio in Palgreve, Ontario, Canada.
Presentation: Placed in a cream collector's mat. Blank on the back, not laid down. Ships in a plastic archival sleeve.
Description: The story of this print is well described by Rosemarie Tovell in the excellent 1980 book Reflections in a Quiet Pool, The Prints of David Milne. In writing about the print she said: "Painting Place is, without doubt, the masterpiece of the early drypoints, assimilating all the technical and stylistic experiments of the previous prints into an apparently effortless harmony of subject and medium."

Drypoint plates do not hold up for long print runs. Because of this Milne had to remake the plates several times. According to Tovell there were six states in all. All were pencil signed. Some also had Milne’s name or initials in the plates. The one we are offering is State v with his initials in the plate.

Part of Milne’s reason for taking on this large project was money. He was given a contract of $400 to produce 2000 prints for Colophon No. Four. When it became clear that he couldn’t meet the deadline, the contract was extended to Colophon No. Five, and since the circulation of that number was set at 3000, Milne had to produce another 1000 prints. His total for the 3000 prints was $600.

Today at auction this print can sell for $1000 or more depending on the location of the sale.

We guarantee the authenticity of all the art we sell. We offer accurate descriptions and clear photographs so buyers know exactly what they are bidding on. We are happy to answer any email questions.

David B. Milne was born in the southwestern Ontario village of Burgoyne (near Paisley) in 1882. He was the last of 10 children born to Scottish immigrant parents. His early education was in Paisley, followed by high school in Walkerton. He performed well in school, and soon after he graduated, he began teaching in a country school near Paisley.

During 1902 and 1903 he studied art through correspondence, eventually deciding to move to New York City in 1903 at the age of 21. In New York, he spent two years (and a third year of night school) studying at the Art Students League.

He had five paintings exhibited in the Armory Show of 1913, and he was also represented by the N. E. Montross Gallery. In 1912, he married Frances May, and they later moved to Boston Corners, a small hamlet near the Massachusetts state line where Milne painted with oils and watercolors.
Between the years of 1919 and 1929, Milne lived in Boston Corners and the surrounding areas, focusing his artistic work on the landscape. In 1929, Milne returned to Canada to paint in Temagami, Weston and Palgrave.

He moved to Port Severn, Ontario in 1933 and sold many of his paintings to prominent art patrons Vincent Massey and Alice Massey. In the late 1930s, Milne settled down in Uxbridge, Ontario. During the later years of his life, Milne worked again in watercolors, and changed his subject matter to more whimsical, fantasy and childlike inspirations. He continued to travel to Algonquin Park and Baptiste Lake to paint the Canadian landscape.