Woodland Animals And Child Appraisal

"Woodland Animals and Child" by Joie Mutz, 1982

This item is a framed art print, likely a serigraph or lithograph, featuring a whimsical woodland scene with various animals and a child. The print is characterized by distinct, illustrative lines and a flat, graphic style, typical of Mid-Century Modern or folk art influences. The central motif is a large, stylized tree with dark green leaves and red berries, dividing the composition into a darker 'night' side on the left, indicated by a crescent moon and star, and a lighter 'day' or dawn side on the right. Animals depicted include a brown bear, a red fox, a deer with prominent antlers, what appears to be a buffalo or similar horned animal, and several white birds nested in the tree branches. A small child, dressed in blue and red, is nestled against the bear. The colors are predominantly earthy tones – browns, greens, oranges, and reds – with a notable contrast between the dark background on the left and the lighter, textured background on the right, which shows fine, light green hatching. The print exhibits a visible signature in the upper right quadrant, faintly legible as 'JOIE MUTZ '82', indicating it was created in 1982. The overall condition appears good, with no obvious major damage, although reflections on the glass make it difficult to assess minor imperfections on the print itself. The print is housed in a simple, dark-colored frame, possibly dark green or black, with a matboard that appears to match the frame color, offering a clean presentation. The dimensions cannot be precisely determined from the image but it appears to be of standard poster or medium print size, likely suitable for wall display. The craftsmanship is evident in the clear lines and color separation, suggesting a well-produced print.