20th CenturyArt DecoFine ArtSwissWoodcut

Immanuel Kant Perpetual Peace – 1957 Woodblock Print by Fritz Urban Welti

A 1957 New Year woodblock print by Fritz Urban Welti celebrating Immanuel Kant’s concept of Perpetual Peace.  The quote reads (loose translation): “Perpetual Peace is not an empty idea, but a task to be undertaken.”

Dimensions: Sheet approx 14 x 19 cm
Woodblock / Woodcut print on Japan Paper

This woodcut is one of a series commissioned as “New Year’s Prints” (Neujahrsblatter) by the Welti family transport business, Welti-Furrer, of which Fritz Urban’s grandfather was a founder.

From a limited edition of 20.  We have several sheets from this edition and the number within the edition may be different from the number shown.

Fritz Urban Welti

Zurich 1901 - Zollikon 1974

Fritz Urban Welti was a painter and a master of the woodcut print. He was born in Zurich in 1901 and died in Zollikon near Zurich in 1974. He studied in Cologne, Vienna and Paris and was well known for his book illustrations. He was the nephew of the famous Swiss symbolist artist Albert Welti.

The Woodcuts on this page were executed as commissions for the Welti family transport business, Welti-Furrer, of which Fritz Urban's grandfather was a founder.

There is a very old tradition in Switzerland that companies and societies give a print ((Neujahrsblatt) to their clients and associates at New Years. Welti created these "New Years Print " engravings for the company beginning in the early 1930s. In some years a second card was also created that could be used as a birthday card for clients.

We are pleased to be able to offer signed limited editions, handprinted by the artist, of some of the woodblock prints below.

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