Don Freeman "Casting For Character" Lithograph 1934 Signed

Don Freeman “Casting For Character”, Lithograph, 1934, Signed in pencil. Edition of 184. Don Freeman, born San Diego, CA 1908-died New York City 1978 Original lithograph signed lower right, by California/New York artist Don Freeman. Seeing as Don Freeman liked to attend theater in New York and go backstage to meet the players and musicians - this subject is very typical for the artist. The work is titled “Casting for a Character” and was issued by the AAA in an edition of 184. It is listed as no. 87 in the book "The Prints of Don Freeman" and was created in 1934. The image measures 9 7/8 x 12 inches and is presented in an archival 16 x 20 inch mat. The work is in excellent condition with full margins and deckle edges. Illustrator, painter and lithographer, Don Freeman (1908-1978) was born in San Diego, CA in 1908. He studied at the San Diego School of Fine Arts and continued in 1928 at the Art Students League in New York City under John Sloan and Harry Wickey. Remaining in New York, he did drawings of the theater, which were published in the Herald Tribune, New York Times, and Theater Magazine. Most of his career was spent in New York city where he captured the spirit and essence of everyday life during the 1930s and 1940s. He illustrated the works, Human Comedy (Saroyan), White Deer (Thurber() and Once Around the Sun (Atkinson). He was the author of Come One, Come All, and in 1951 he began illustrating a total of 33 children's books, which he co-authored with his wife, Lydia. During his last 20 years he maintained a home in Santa Barbara, CA. He died in 1978 while in New York City to meet his editor at Viking Press. Three years before his demise Mayor Lindsey presented him with the keys to the city and dubbed him the "Daumier of New York City."