R. Crumb: Short History of America A/P Serigraph

R. CRUMB: "A SHORT HISTORY of AMERICA" A/P SERIGRAPH (1993).

One of only EIGHTEEN Artist's Proofs of R. Crumb's very first silkscreen/serigraph!

Robert Crumb has created a fair number of Signed & Numbered fine-art silkscreens (serigraphs) in the past dozen years--- This one is his most acclaimed and his very first.

This "Short History of America" serigraph was published by Kitchen Sink Press in February 1993 in an edition of 250 + 18 Artist's Proofs (A/P's). The regular edition of 250 sold out quickly at $250 each (and now fetch $1,500 if you are lucky enough to find one). The publisher never sold any of his share of the 18 A/P's until now.

This timeless metamorphosis image originally appeared in the 1970s in black & white in Snoid Comics and in Co-Evolution Quarterly, acquiring cult status. It then became a very popular 12-panel poster from Kitchen Sink, ending with the "What Next??" panel. Crumb then added new speculative panels showing three future scenarios for our endangered planet: ecological disaster, technological supremacy or Ecotopia (his vote).

All 15 panels were incorporated into this seventeen-color hand-pulled serigraph, signed & numbered by Crumb. As noted, the original edition of 250 long ago sold out. Crumb some years later authorized another publisher (Wildwood) to produce a variant serigraph incorporating the 12-panel version of "A Short History of America."

The quality of that edition is also the highest, but serious art collectors and investors should be aware of the distinction between these similar editions which are several years apart. This physically larger 15-panel serigraph is Crumb's very first serigraph, representing his entreé into the fine art world. It measures 19" x 22" on acid-free deckle-edge heavy rag paper. It is warranted to be original, authentic and from the publisher's personal archives (letter of authenticity supplied upon request by Denis Kitchen). Shipped flat, carefully packed between sheets of heavy protective cardboard.

- - An inexpensive "Short History" poster is available from this web store(see below).

Note: the full image at the top of this page was taken with a digital camera because the serigraph was too large for our scan bed. Thus, the image has lost it's crispness and is quite fuzzy. The "white area" around the image has also been trimmed for the sake of screen space. Rest assure that the original serigraph is quite spectacular :-)