2 Donald Art Italian Canaletto Corot Venice Florence Cityscape Lithograph Prints 17"

Description

Pair of mid 20th century lithograph prints depicting two scenes of Italy - "Place at Venice" by Antonio Canaletto and "View of Florence" by Camille Corot. Published by the Donald Art Company of New York. Carved wood frame; faux mat / printed border around art.

The Donald Art Company made reproductions prints that were sold in all major department stores between 1940 – 1984. Donald Bonnist started the Donald Art Company from meager beginnings, and it became the largest fine art publishing business in the world in its time. Before there was the Donald Art Company (DAC) there was M. B. & Z. Starting in 1924, Donald and his father, Maurits Bonnist, worked together to develop their art publishing business, M. Bonnist & Zonen in Amsterdam, Holland. One of their specialties was a series of movie star photo postcards for which they had exclusive rights, and which are still sought after by collectors. Maurits Bonnist died young of a heart attack, and in order to support his mother and siblings, Donald had to drop out of high school to run the business. In 1939, Donald and Serine van Embden (an artist in her own right) came to America on their honeymoon and were unable to return to their homeland due to the escalation of WWII. In America, a new company was born in their small rented apartment in Forest Hills, NY. The business continued to grow and after about 20 years, when the Mamaroneck building was outgrown, Donald moved DAC to Port Chester (Rye Brook), NY, where he built the Donald Art Plaza in 1965. A 70,000-square-foot building, it housed offices, warehouse space and “Gallery 90” where the ever-growing Donald Art Company Collection could finally be displayed. DAC developed initially as a publisher of paper art reproduction by lithography for the picture framing industry but in 1960 Donald partnered with Gus Montovano of Litho-Craft of New England to develop a technique for printing on artist canvas, textured to feel like brush strokes. The company made artwork for premiums, promotions and incentives and they offered a variety of art-related products, including pictures for Jigsaw puzzles. Donald Bonnist retired from the company in 1984, and passed away in 1986 at his home in Mamaroneck, NY, at the age of 78." (Source: Donald Art)

Condition

Good Overall - Gentle wear/discoloration

Dimensions

16.5" x 0.5" x 13.5" / Sans Frame - 13.5" x 10.5" (Width x Depth x Height)