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JOHN KELLY
Hawaiian Madonna
.
Color aquatint, circa 1930. 376x301 mm; 14
7
/
8
x11
7
/
8
inches. Signed and titled in pencil,
lower margin. A very good impression.
Kelly (1879-162) was born in Oakland and studied art in the San Francisco Bay area before
becoming an illustrator for the San Francisco Examiner. In 1923, Kelly and his wife moved
to Hawaii, with the intent to remain for a year, working for an advertising agency to
promote tourism to the islands. They ended up relocating to Hawaii permanently, both
working as artists (Kate Kelly was a sculptor), enamored of the people, landscapes and
seascapes of the islands. Kelly created the most comprehensive body of work of any other
American printmaker during the first half of the 20th century which captured the people,
traditional customs and views of Hawaii in colorful etchings, aquatints and oils.
[1,500/2,500]