Robert Von Neumann (1888-1976) was arguably Wisconsin’s most significant artist of the first have of the 20^th Century. He was extremely prolific, creating many prints and paintings, he exhibited widely, and as a teacher he influenced many other artists.

Robert Von Neumann was born in Germany in 1888. He studied art in Germany, fought in World War I, and taught for some years in Berlin after the war. He also worked as an illustrator and a lithographer in Germany. Along with his wife, he emigrated to America in 1926 and settled in Milwaukee. He soon started teaching at Milwaukee’s Layton School of Art, and shortly thereafter began teaching at Milwaukee State Teachers College (later the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee), where he spent the remainder of his teaching career, retiring in 1959.  Over the years he actively participated in many arts organizations, and exhibited numerous times. He exhibited at the Milwaukee Journal Gallery of Art, with the Wisconsin Painters and Sculptors, at the Wisconsin Salon in Madison, Wisconsin, with the Milwaukee Printmakers, and other groups. He also participated in national organizations and exhibitions, most notably at the Chicago Art Institute (on numerous occasions), with the Prairie Printmakers, and also the Associated American Artists. (AAA was a New York based concern that brought art to the masses, offering original prints by fine artists, many of whom were already well known, or later became noteworthy.)

Von Neumann’s favorite subject matter was working people---you will quickly see that theme in the numerous prints that I will show. From the considerable amount of his work that I have seen, I have loosely classified his categories as commercial fishing, lumbering, farming, and landscapes. You will see examples of all of these in this blog and future blogs. Because Von Neumann was so prolific I intend to profile him in different blogs, possibly not all in sequence. I may decide to take a break from “Vonnie” to showcase some other artists. I have my prints sorted by size, for ease of storage, so this first blog will be Von Neumann’s smallest prints.

 

Robert Von Neumann  "Supper on the Boat"  woodcut, 6"h x 5"w, signed, no date

This print was featured in the 1936 Wisconsin Artist's Calendar

 

 

 

Robert Von Neumann "The Trout Net" woodcut, 6"h x 5" unsigned, no date

The print, aka "Fishermen", was featured in the 1936 Wisconsin Artist's calendar

 

 

Robert Von Neumann "Reeling the Nets"  wood engraving, 5" h x 6"w, signed, no date

This print was featured in the 1938 Wisconsin Artist's Calendar

This print has a label from the 1943 San Francisco exhibition of Drawings and Prints

 

 

Robert Von Neumann "Fishing" etching, 5"h x 7"w, signed, no date

 

 

Robert Vo Neumann  Untitled (fisherman) woodcut, 6"h x 5"w, signed, no date

 

 

Robert Von Neumann "Morning" etching, 6"h x 8"w, signed, no date

 

 

Robert Von Neumann untitled ("Reapers")  woodcut, 6"h x 5"w, unsigned, no date

This print was feature in the 1936 Wisconsin Artist's Calendar, titled "Reapers"

 

 

Robert Von Neumann   untitled (lumberjacks) etching, 6"h x 8"w, signed, no date

 

 

Robert Von Neumann  untitled (fishermen)  etching, 6.5"h x 9.5"w, unsigned, no date

 

 

Robert Von Neumann  untitled (fisherman)  etching, 7"h x 5"w, unsigned, no date

 

 

Robert Von Neumann  "Beaching the Boat"  etching, signed, no date

 

 

Robert Von Neumann  untitled (women working in field) mezzotint, 8"h x 9.5"w, unsigned, no date