Lithography is not my medium, so my knowledge of the complete process is limited. I have made every attempt to be as accurate as possible in my statements, and have omitted anything I was not able to verify.

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What are Lithographs?

Lithography is the process of printing from stone. "Lithos" - Greek "stone" and "Graphein" - Greek "to write". The process was invented in 1796. It is the newest and best documented printing process.

Lithographs are art prints made using the lithographic process. This process can be applied to more practical images such as maps to produce a large number of identical prints. Unlike other methods of printing, lithography relies on the chemistry of water and oil to repel one-another, so there is no wear on the image as it prints. This allows the 1,000th and 10,000th print to be of identical quality and detail to the first. This makes lithography a wonderful tool for artists. Techniques, materials, and the skill of the printer all affect the final quality of a lithographic image.

True lithography should not be confused with "Offset Lithography" which is a common poster printing process and the term "lithograph" should not be applied to prints made using this process.

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What are Serigraphs?

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Sometimes referred to as screen-printing, serigraphy is a printmaking technique that makes use of stencil-masks to create an image. As with lithography, the tools, techniques and skills used by the printmaker affect the quality of the final print. For art images, a quality art paper  or cloth is typically selected as the canvas and high-quality pigment oil based inks are used as the media.

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Is it a print or an original?

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The answer to this can become more complex. Traditional stone lithography does not have a corresponding "original" per se. The artwork is completed directly onto the stone to be used for printing. When printing is completed, the image is effaced by grinding the stone clean and flat for use again with a new image. If the stone leaves the workshop, or the workshop is shared, the stone may be struck to deface the image and a Cancellation Proof is pulled showing that the image cannot be produced again.

The first complete image is called the Bon á Tirer or B.A.T.. The artist or printmaker decide on the number of prints to be pulled from the stone. This is called the edition. When printing is complete each lithograph is numbered and signed. Quality is identical, but there are minute differences between them and the artist is involved in the creation of the edition.

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Similarly, serigraphs are made using masked screens. After printing is complete, the image masks can be removed from the screens and destroyed. Modern technology allows for these masks to be machine cut with extreme precision or be applied chemically using UV-light. Artists still often employ hand-cut vinyl or light resistant stencils to create their masks.

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This differs from reproductive prints such as giclée prints and poster prints that use photo-mechanical techniques to reproduce an image and are typically printed using different materials from the original. While quality inks and papers may be selected for these reproductions, more inexpensive materials are typically used and the number of prints is not limited. The process is typically removed from human touch

and the artist may have very little input in the process.

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Lithographs and Serigraphs that are a part of the artist's original edition are considered to be originals. To aid in clarity they may be called "Original Lithographs/Serigraphs" or "Original Stone Lithographs" designating the medium and separating them from poster or giclée reproductions that might exist.

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R.C. Gorman's Lithographs, Serigraphs, and Woodblock Prints

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Below is a list of R.C.'s Lithographs and Serigraphs. This list is in the process of being updated and is incomplete. My records give a count of about 70 Serigraphs and 450-500 lithographs produced by R.C. over his 5 decade career. I hope to have this completed soon, but it is a process of cross checking information over several sources. The information provided is meant to give the general public enough information to identify a piece. The Retail Range is based on several sources including but not limited to a 2009-2016 (the exact date of publication and last update aren't known) suggested retail price list published by Western Graphics, Inc and prices for the artworks from the Navajo Gallery website in 2019 as well as sale records.

In determining the value of an art piece, there are many factors that will come into play such as Condition, Availability, Provenance, and Aesthetic just to name a few. With that in-mind, this list should be taken as informational only, and not treated as a guide to appraisal. THE MICHAEL GORMAN GALLERY DOES NOT OFFER APPRAISALS OR AUTHENTICATIONS of artwork as a service at this time. If you need an appraisal for insurance or resale purposes, contact an art appraiser in your area who has experience with RC Gorman, Native American Contemporary Art, or Southwestern Art. They may also be able to authenticate the work.

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