Title

Lewis, Martin.

Author

Australian Prints.

Source

[Not applicable]

Publication date

2001

Type

Biography

Language

English

Country of context

Australia

Full text

Martin Lewis

Martin Lewis was born in Castlemaine, Victoria, in 1881. At the age of fifteen he ran away from home after being taunted by his brothers about his continual drawing. He travelled to New Zealand and through outback Australia before settling in Sydney in 1898 where he studied briefly at the Julian Ashton School of Art.

In 1900 he emigrated to San Francisco and in 1901 travelled to New York where he worked as a commercial artist. In 1912 he began his first etchings and soon acquired a reputation for his technical command of the different printmaking media. His expertise was such that his help was enlisted by his American friend — the artist Edward Hopper — when he made his first etchings.

Lewis's etchings, drypoints, and mezzotints came into prominence in the 1930s. His views of New York streets were characterised by his use of long shadows cast by the early morning and late evening sun or that of street lighting at night ­— their reputation was such that it placed him at the forefront of contemporary American printmaking.

During the depression years Lewis lived in Connecticut, but he missed the New York environment and on returning in 1936 he set up a school for printmaking. From 1944 when he secured a position as Instructor of Graphics at the Art Students League, much of his time was devoted to teaching.

Although Lewis was well known in Australia little work was seen here in his lifetime. Until recently his prints could only be seen at the Castlemaine Art Gallery, Victoria, to which he gave two etchings in 1925.

He died in New York in 1962.

© Australianprints