Description

With the advent of World War I, Blanche Lazzell and many other American artists returned home from Paris, where they had gone to study and work. In the summer of 1915, Lazzell moved to Provincetown, Massachusetts, on the tip of Cape Cod, to join several friends who had settled in this picturesque locale to experiment with their art. Influenced by Japanese color woodcuts (ukiyo-e), many of the artists were interested in producing woodcuts themselves. Lazzell's home and studio, built on a pier, could be recognized by its colorful displays of flowers grown from seeds in pots or started on climbing vines. A passionate gardener, many of her woodcuts depict brilliantly colored floral images. Although she made a small number of monotypes, these too reflect her continuous interest in botanical subjects.