"Doorstep" by Frank Kleinholz, Amer., (1901-1987)

Etching, 1940, Ref. C. 1, a first state proof before the 2nd. state edition of 6 with aquatint tones to the street and buildings, and what appears to be a fabric pattern transferred presumably with soft ground in the mother's dress, published by the artist,  7-1`/4 x 5-3/8, signed, dated 1943 and dedicated "to Frank and Chris Asher" in pencil, on buff wove paper with artist's inky finger print top center, slightest pale glue and mat line trace to top margin. After an impoverished childhood, Kleinholz excelled later in school  and became a lawyer, but his artistic calling won out. His work is in many museum and private collections and he enjoyed a long career. His style embraces a expressionistic naivete, focused on family and landscape. This etching embraces bold reductive flat form, yet still manages to evoke a humble empathy with it's subject.