Blood Moon At Swedes Church Printmaking By Jerry Di Falco

Year:

Medium:

Etching Print

Size - (USA):

11 W x 14 H x 0.7 D (inches)

Size - (metric):

27.9 W x 35.6 H x 1.8 D (centimeters)

Theme:

Urban

Edition:

Original

Artwork ID:

632819

PDF Copy:

Artwork Info Sheet (PDF)

Artwork Description:

This Third Edition etching was based on original drawings by the artist. Di Falco used a family photograph taken by his Great-Great Maternal Aunt Victoria as a visual starting point. Victoria lived on Alfred’s Alley in Philadelphia since 1885 and shot the black and white cityscape between 1938 and 1940 with her 35mm Kodak camera and developed the print in her Old City photographic studio near Second and Arch Streets. The Di Falco etching is executed in a blend of French oil base inks printed on white RivesBFK paper. This work is from the 3rd of 4 Editions, and each edition is limited to only five etchings. DiFalco used a Charles Brand industrial floor press that was manufactured in Manhattan. The image size is 6” wide by 8” high, and the etching comes with a frame, archival mat and craft paper frame backing glued in place. The frame measures between 11 to 12 inches wide by 14 to 15 inches high. This work was printed at The Center for Works on Paper at 705 Christian Street within the Open Studio for Printmaking. This is a part of the Fleisher Art School, located on the 700 Block of Catharine Street, and is associated with The Philadelphia Museum of Art. This edition employed red, blue and violet ink on white paper, and each of the other three editions of five etchings are executed in different color ink and paper color combinations. The studio techniques used included intaglio and aquatint. The historic building in Di Falco’s etching was constructed in 1698 and dedicated in 1700 as Gloria Dei Church, also called Old Swedes’ Church. The area near the Delaware River was called “Wicaco” by the indigenous peoples. This Native American word implied that the wooded area attracted many peaceful entities, both physical and spiritual. The following is quoted from THE GLORIA DEI OLD SWEDES’ CHURCH websitehttp www. old-swedes. com “The buildings of Gloria Dei border the cemetery on three sides, with the church to the east closest to the Delaware River. . . . All buildings are of brick construction with entrances facing the cemetery.

Artwork Keywords:   Cityscape, Colonial Philadelphia, Graveyard, Intaglio, Original Printmaking

Materials:   Etching Prints