Rethman Kittlewakes Print, Dated 1979

This item is a framed fine art print, likely a limited edition or open edition print, depicting three Kittlewake birds 'Crying' on their nest. The image captures the birds with their beaks open, as if calling out, highlighting their characteristic vocalizations. The colors are muted but naturalistic, focusing on the white and grey of the birds' plumage, the yellow of their beaks, and the earthy tones of the nest and tree bark. The birds are rendered with considerable detail, showing individual feathers and the texture of their eyes. The nest itself is richly textured, appearing to be constructed from twigs and organic debris, with a scattering of white feathers indicating the birds' presence. The print is matted with a double mat, featuring a thin dark brown inner mat bordering the artwork and a wider cream or light beige outer mat. The print is signed by the artist, 'Rethman', and dated '1979' in the lower right corner, suggesting its creation date. A clear protective film, possibly plastic or acetate, is adhering to the surface of the print, obscuring part of the image and indicating it may be a protective layer that needs to be peeled off or that the print is still in its original packaging. The reflections on this film suggest a glossy finish. Visible condition issues include the adherence of this protective film, which causes glare and makes it difficult to assess the print's surface condition underneath. The mounting appears to be stable within the matting. The visible edge of the print underneath the protective film and mat appears clean and consistent. The craftsmanship of the print itself, evident in the detail and color reproduction, suggests a good quality output, likely from a professional printmaker.

Upon visual examination of this framed print, titled 'Kittlewakes Crying' and signed by 'Rethman' and dated '1979', I have assessed its current market value. The print appears to be a good quality reproduction, showcasing detailed rendering of the subjects and naturalistic colors typical of wildlife art from this period. The double matting is standard for the era. A significant condition issue is the presence of an adhered protective film, possibly original packaging or a later addition, which obscures the print surface. This film creates glare and prevents a thorough assessment of the print's condition, including potential fading, toning, or foxing. The key factor affecting value is the artist's identity. My research indicates 'Rethman' is not a widely recognized or listed artist with a significant auction history, suggesting this may be a work by a regional or amateur artist. Such works generally have decorative rather than high collectible value. Comparable open edition prints by lesser-known wildlife artists from the 1970s and 1980s typically trade in the lower-end decorative market. For full authentication, an in-person examination is required to remove the film, inspect the paper and print quality, determine if it is a limited edition (and if so, the edition number), and verify the signature. Without provenance or further information on the artist, the appraisal is based on its decorative qualities.