Carl Ahrens (1862-1936)

The vast majority of Ahrens' prints were done in Galt, Ontario in the 1920s and 30s. He created etching tools out of old dental picks and converted a laundry mangle into a press. By the time Ahrens began making prints, he was too weak to do most of the work himself. He recruited his daughter, Sigrid, to operate the press. His daughter Chloris helped with the inking and the acid baths. The only part of the process he did alone was the actual art. While there are were multiple copies made of all but the monotypes, it is rare to find two prints exactly alike. He tinkered with the plates in between pulls, used different papers, and changed ink colors.

Wooded Upland Landscape

Monotype in brown on wove paper

18 x 12.5 cm

Signed

Collection of Kim Bullock

Photo by Kim Bullock

This print is # 2 in the book Carl Ahrens as Printmaker: A Catalogue Raisonne by Jennifer C. Watson. Published by the Kitchener/Waterloo Art Gallery in 1984.

Green Wooded Landscape

Monotype with hand coloring

25.5 x 20 cm

Signed

Collection of Kim Bullock

Photo by Kim Bullock

This print is # 3 in the book Carl Ahrens as Printmaker: A Catalogue Raisonne by Jennifer C. Watson. Published by the Kitchener/Waterloo Art Gallery in 1984.

The Picnickers

Etching and aquatint with surface tone

25.5 x 20 cm

Signed

Collection of Kim Bullock

Photo by Kim Bullock

This print is # 4 in the book Carl Ahrens as Printmaker: A Catalogue Raisonne by Jennifer C. Watson. Published by the Kitchener/Waterloo Art Gallery in 1984.

The Crow

Etching and aquatint with surface tone

12.5 x 11 cm

Signed

Collection of Kim Bullock

Photo by Kim Bullock

This print is # 5 in the book Carl Ahrens as Printmaker: A Catalogue Raisonne by Jennifer C. Watson. Published by the Kitchener/Waterloo Art Gallery in 1984.

The Teepee

Etching and aquatint with surface tone

18 x 14 cm

Signed

Collection of Kim Bullock

Photo by Chris Keith

This print is # 6 in the book Carl Ahrens as Printmaker: A Catalogue Raisonne by Jennifer C. Watson. Published by the Kitchener/Waterloo Art Gallery in 1984.

Wooded Landscape With Figure by Pond

Drypoint and aquatint with surface tone

14 x 9 cm

Signed

Collection of Kim Bullock

Photo by Kim Bullock

This print is # 7 in the book Carl Ahrens as Printmaker: A Catalogue Raisonne by Jennifer C. Watson. Published by the Kitchener/Waterloo Art Gallery in 1984.

Enhanced Prints

Only four hand-tinted prints have been located to date.

The colored teepee print to the right remains in the family.

The Pool (shown below) was exhibited at the Ontario Society of Artists' exhibition in 1923 and was listed as being for sale for $150. It was originally owned by Fred Alexander MacGregor, First Secretary to Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King.

The Evening Sun (also shown below) was painted for John Noble Mackendrick of Galt, Ontario. Mackendrick was a close friend and regular patron of Ahrens during his years at Big Trees.

The Crow remains in the family.