Carborundum mezzotint on cream wove paper, circa 1938-39. 229x178 mm; 9x7 inches, full margins. Signed and titled in pencil, lower margin. An extremely rich, darkly-inked impression of this very scarce print.
In February 1939, Alain Locke selected two of Dox Thrash's carborundum prints for inclusion in the Contemporary Negro Art exhibition at the Baltimore Museum of Art--Charlot and Cabin Days, both circa 1938-39.
We have found one other impression of this print at auction in the past 20 years, at Swann Galleries on February 28, 2006. Other impressions can be found in the collections of the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, the St. Louis Art Museum and the Free Library of Philadelphia. Each impression of Charlot appears to be a working proof, with modifications in the eyes and neck apparent in each version. It was common for Thrash to go back and rework the plate before each printing. Ittmann 85.
