Small Victories: One Couple's Surprising Adventures Building an Unrivaled Collection of American Prints

Art collector Williams shares the story of how he and his wife, Reba, acquired a collection of over 6,000 American prints spanning 150 years, a selection of which are reproduced in vivid color or stark black and white within the book. The result is quite an art history lesson, from early 20th-century Realism to Pop Art from the 1960s. Notable pieces include George Bellows "A Stag at Sharkey's" (1917), Edward Hopper's "American Landscape" (1920), Andy Warhol's "Marilyn (pink)" (1967), and Winslow Homer's "Eight Bells" (1887). The collection at one time included Frida Kahlo's only print, the haunting "Frida and the Miscarriage" (1932). There is heavy focus on Roosevelt's Works Progress Administration, a source of instruction for African-American artists like Robert Blackburn and Norman Lewis. Williams delves into different printmaking processes, including lithography, screenprinting, and woodcuts, while offering sordid tales of collecting, including dealing with a known art thief and smuggling prints over the Mexican border. The images from the eclectic collection provide something beautiful for everyone, along with a wealth of instruction in art history. (Apr.)