Like her colleague Jackson Pollock, Claire Mahl studied withThomas Hart Benton at the Art Students League, New York. She was also a student at the National Academy of Design. Pollock encouraged her to join the David Siquieros workshop where she was introduced to the 'controlled accident'. During the 1940's Mahl worked at Fernand Léger's New York atelier and at the New School for Social Research with Meyer Schapiro. In the 1950's she studied at the San Francisco Art Institute with David Park.

Mahl worked first in the graphics section of the Public Works of Art Project from (1934-1935), then with the

Federal Art Project Graphic Division (1935-1942).She is recorded as having produced twenty government sponsored prints. Her expressionistic work is marked by a wide range of styles, strong composition, detailed draftsmanship and highly imaginative imagery.

She participated in a number of one-person and group exhibitions in the 1970s and 1980s. Her work is represented by the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the New York Public Library, the Franklin Furnace Archives and the Library of Congress.

Maternal Group -9- c. 1935, Lithograph.

Edition c. 25. Signed C. Mahl and titled in pencil. Numbered 7 in the bottom right sheet corner. Signed C. MAHL in the stone, lower right.

Image size 12 7/8 x 7 15/16 inches (327 x 202 mm); sheet size16 x 11 1/2 inches (406 x 292 mm).

A fine, impression, with full margins (1 1/2 to 2 inches), on cream wove paper, in excellent condition.

Created for the New York City WPA. Collection: New York Public Library.

$650.

Court (The Authorities) -9- 1936, Woodcut.

Edition 5. Signed Mahl and titled in pencil.

Image size 6 7/8 x 5 5/16 inches (175 x 135 mm); sheet size 10 5/8 x 8 1/2 inches (270 x 216 mm).

A fine, black impression, on cream wove paper, with full margins (7/8 to 2 3/8 inches), in excellent condition. Very scarce.

Created for the New York City WPA. Collection: National Gallery of Art.

$750.

Blonde Girl -9- c. 1935, Woodcut.

Edition c. 25. Signed and titled in pencil.

Image size 14 1/8 x 10 inches (358 x 254 mm); sheet size 18 1/4 x 12 inches (463 x 305 mm).

A fine, rich impression, with full margins (3/4 to 2 3/8 inches), on off-white Japan, in excellent condition.

Created for the New York City WPA. Collection: New York Public Library.

$800.

Mortgaged -9- 1936-39, Lithograph.

Edition c. 25. Signed and titled in pencil.

Image size 18 x 12 3/8 inches (457 x 314 mm); sheet size 21 x 15 3/4 inches (533 x 400 mm).

A fine impression, on cream wove paper, with wide to full margins (1 5/16 to 2 inches). The bottom margin trimmed leaving a 2 inch tab in the maternal

lower left sheet corner bearing the WPA stamp, otherwise in excellent condition.

Created for the New York City WPA.

$1400.

Palestine Youth -9- 1937, Lithograph.

Edition c. 25. Signed and titled in pencil.

Image size 18 1/2 x 11 3/4 inches (512 x 290 mm); sheet size 23 x 15 15/16 inches (627 x 405 mm).

A fine, rich impression, with full margins (2 1/8 to 2 3/8 inches), on cream wove paper, in excellent condition.

Created for the New York City WPA. Collection: NYPL.

SOLD

The Last Still Life -9- 1938, Lithograph.

Edition c. 25. Signed and titled in pencil.

Image size 16 1/2 x 13 5/8 inches (429 x 345 mm); 23 x 15 15/16 inches (625 x 405 mm).

A fine, rich impression, with full margins (1 1/8 to 3 5/8 inches), on cream wove paper, several repaired tears in the sheetedges, otherwise in excellent condition.

Created for the New York City WPA. Collection: NYPL.

$2000.