“Figure Reading,” Katherine R. McCabe, 1970s intaglio etching, 14×10 in., signed & numbered 3/50, a quiet interior rendered with exquisite linework.

$650.00

“Figure Reading,” Katherine R. McCabe, 1970s intaglio etching, 14×10 in., signed & numbered 3/50, a quiet interior rendered with exquisite linework.

“Figure Reading” is an original 1970s intaglio etching by American artist Katherine Robinson McCabe, edition 3/50, pencil-signed lower right. Known for her disciplined linework and intimate, contemplative scenes, McCabe brings her background in medical illustration to bear in the clarity and precision of this seated figure absorbed in a book. The interior space — defined by strong cross-hatching and simplified architectural framing — reflects the artist’s fascination with pattern, rhythm, and the quiet beauty of everyday life.

A wonderful example of mid-century American printmaking from a highly trained, widely exhibited woman artist whose work is increasingly recognized for its technical command and expressive restraint.

Artwork Description

Executed in a fine-line intaglio technique, “Figure Reading” demonstrates McCabe’s mastery of etched mark-making. Her background in anatomical and medical illustration is evident in the economy and accuracy of line, the careful proportions of the figure, and the structured composition that balances interior architecture with natural plant forms.

The seated figure — casual, absorbed, unaware of the viewer — situates the work within McCabe’s broader interest in quiet human moments. The image’s cross-hatched textures and linear rhythms create both structure and softness, capturing stillness without rigidity. The small edition size (3/50) enhances the print’s desirability and rarity.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY—KATHERINE ROBINSON McCABE (1926–2012)

Katherine R. McCabe (born 1926, Glens Falls, NY – died 2012, Londonderry, VT) was an American painter, printmaker, sculptor, illustrator, and multimedia artist whose prolific career spanned more than six decades. Exceptionally trained and endlessly curious, McCabe worked across nearly every artistic medium, from intaglio and drawing to ceramics, watercolor, digital painting, and sculpture.

Education & Training

McCabe was rigorously educated, earning:

  • AB in Fine Arts, Radcliffe College, 1948

  • Medical Illustration Studies, Johns Hopkins School of Medical Illustration (Baltimore)

  • Additional studies at:

    • Parsons School of Design (NYC)

    • Art Center of Northern New Jersey (Tenafly)

    • The New School (NYC)

    • School of Visual Arts (NYC)

    • Pratt Graphics Center (NYC)

Her medical illustration training instilled a disciplined, analytical, and precise draftsmanship that became central to her work.

Early Career

McCabe began professionally as a medical illustrator in New York City, creating highly precise drawings requiring anatomical accuracy — a skill that later informed her etchings and paintings.

Exhibitions (Selected)

Her exhibition history is remarkably extensive for a regional mid-century artist, spanning more than 20 confirmed shows:

  • Theological Art Show, Rutherford, NJ (1969)

  • Jersey City Museum Annuals (1969, 1971)

  • New Jersey State Annual, Summit (1969, 1970)

  • Annual Regional, Art Center of the Oranges (1970)

  • Newark Museum (by invitation, 1971)

  • Six-Man Group Show for Planned Parenthood (NJ, 1970)

  • Bergen Community Museum (by invitation, 1971, 1972, 1974)

  • Edwards Williams College (by invitation, 1971)

  • St. Luke’s Hospital Annuals, NYC (1971–1973)

  • Nassau Medical Organization (1971–1973)

  • Westchester Art Society (1972)

  • National Art League, Hempstead (1972)

  • New Mexico Art League, National Small Painting Show (1972)

  • Cape Coral National Art Show (1972)

  • Smith School Loan Exhibit (1972)

  • Alpine Home & School Association (1972, 1973)

  • Art Center of Northern NJ Three-Man Show (1973)

  • Temple Emeth Gallery (NJ)

  • Davidson National Print & Drawing Competition, Stowe Gallery, NC (1973)

  • American Annual Exhibition, The Art Association of Newport, RI (1973)

  • Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts Annual, Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford (1973)

  • Wheaton College, Watson Gallery “Drawings” (1974)

From the 1970s through the 2000s she continued exhibiting, culminating in solo exhibitions between 1974–2005, including two solo shows at the Southern Vermont Art Center.

Awards

McCabe earned multiple prizes recognizing her technical mastery:

  • St. Luke’s Hospital (NYC): First & Third Prize in Graphics; Second & Honorable Mention in Stitchery

  • Westchester Art Society: Honorable Mention in Watercolor

  • Cape Coral National: Honorable Mention in Graphics

  • Alpine Home & School Association: Second Prize in Graphics

Collections

Works held in:

  • Numerous private collections

  • Pratt National Bank of Boston, selected by Boston Printmakers Society

  • Davidson College, NC

  • Planned Parenthood Headquarters, Hackensack, NJ

  • Included in "First Illustrated Anthology of Bergen County Poetry," 1975

Personal Life and Philosophy

McCabe was legendary among friends and family for her relentless creative energy — knitting at stoplights, sculpting clay while pedaling a stationary bike, and later embracing digital art on her iPad. She was an avid traveler, cyclist, skier, museum-goer, and lover of discovery.

She once said her inspiration came from “the thrill that comes with discovery of unexpected effects,” a phrase that beautifully summarizes her experimental, lifelong artistic journey.

Katherine R. McCabe, Figure Reading, 1970s. Intaglio etching, 14 × 10 in., edition 3/50, pencil-signed. A finely rendered interior study by a widely exhibited American artist with a strong exhibition résumé and excellent technical training.

ARTIST: Katherine Robinson McCabe (1926–2012)
TITLE: Figure Reading
DATE: 1970s
MEDIUM: Intaglio etching
EDITION: 3/50
SIZE: 14 × 10 in. (image)
SIGNATURE: Pencil-signed “Katherine McCabe” lower right
PROVENANCE: Mitch Morse Gallery → Artfind Gallery
AUTHENTICITY: Work is confirmed original and consistent with McCabe’s known etching style, linework, and signature.
COMMENTS: Strong exhibition history increases desirability; excellent acquisition for collectors of American women printmakers.

Provenance Chain

Artist → Mitch Morse Gallery (NYC + international acquisitions) → Artfind Gallery, Washington, D.C.


“Figure Reading,” Katherine R. McCabe, 1970s intaglio etching, 14×10 in., signed & numbered 3/50, a quiet interior rendered with exquisite linework.

“Figure Reading” is an original 1970s intaglio etching by American artist Katherine Robinson McCabe, edition 3/50, pencil-signed lower right. Known for her disciplined linework and intimate, contemplative scenes, McCabe brings her background in medical illustration to bear in the clarity and precision of this seated figure absorbed in a book. The interior space — defined by strong cross-hatching and simplified architectural framing — reflects the artist’s fascination with pattern, rhythm, and the quiet beauty of everyday life.

A wonderful example of mid-century American printmaking from a highly trained, widely exhibited woman artist whose work is increasingly recognized for its technical command and expressive restraint.

Artwork Description

Executed in a fine-line intaglio technique, “Figure Reading” demonstrates McCabe’s mastery of etched mark-making. Her background in anatomical and medical illustration is evident in the economy and accuracy of line, the careful proportions of the figure, and the structured composition that balances interior architecture with natural plant forms.

The seated figure — casual, absorbed, unaware of the viewer — situates the work within McCabe’s broader interest in quiet human moments. The image’s cross-hatched textures and linear rhythms create both structure and softness, capturing stillness without rigidity. The small edition size (3/50) enhances the print’s desirability and rarity.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY—KATHERINE ROBINSON McCABE (1926–2012)

Katherine R. McCabe (born 1926, Glens Falls, NY – died 2012, Londonderry, VT) was an American painter, printmaker, sculptor, illustrator, and multimedia artist whose prolific career spanned more than six decades. Exceptionally trained and endlessly curious, McCabe worked across nearly every artistic medium, from intaglio and drawing to ceramics, watercolor, digital painting, and sculpture.

Education & Training

McCabe was rigorously educated, earning:

  • AB in Fine Arts, Radcliffe College, 1948

  • Medical Illustration Studies, Johns Hopkins School of Medical Illustration (Baltimore)

  • Additional studies at:

    • Parsons School of Design (NYC)

    • Art Center of Northern New Jersey (Tenafly)

    • The New School (NYC)

    • School of Visual Arts (NYC)

    • Pratt Graphics Center (NYC)

Her medical illustration training instilled a disciplined, analytical, and precise draftsmanship that became central to her work.

Early Career

McCabe began professionally as a medical illustrator in New York City, creating highly precise drawings requiring anatomical accuracy — a skill that later informed her etchings and paintings.

Exhibitions (Selected)

Her exhibition history is remarkably extensive for a regional mid-century artist, spanning more than 20 confirmed shows:

  • Theological Art Show, Rutherford, NJ (1969)

  • Jersey City Museum Annuals (1969, 1971)

  • New Jersey State Annual, Summit (1969, 1970)

  • Annual Regional, Art Center of the Oranges (1970)

  • Newark Museum (by invitation, 1971)

  • Six-Man Group Show for Planned Parenthood (NJ, 1970)

  • Bergen Community Museum (by invitation, 1971, 1972, 1974)

  • Edwards Williams College (by invitation, 1971)

  • St. Luke’s Hospital Annuals, NYC (1971–1973)

  • Nassau Medical Organization (1971–1973)

  • Westchester Art Society (1972)

  • National Art League, Hempstead (1972)

  • New Mexico Art League, National Small Painting Show (1972)

  • Cape Coral National Art Show (1972)

  • Smith School Loan Exhibit (1972)

  • Alpine Home & School Association (1972, 1973)

  • Art Center of Northern NJ Three-Man Show (1973)

  • Temple Emeth Gallery (NJ)

  • Davidson National Print & Drawing Competition, Stowe Gallery, NC (1973)

  • American Annual Exhibition, The Art Association of Newport, RI (1973)

  • Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts Annual, Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford (1973)

  • Wheaton College, Watson Gallery “Drawings” (1974)

From the 1970s through the 2000s she continued exhibiting, culminating in solo exhibitions between 1974–2005, including two solo shows at the Southern Vermont Art Center.

Awards

McCabe earned multiple prizes recognizing her technical mastery:

  • St. Luke’s Hospital (NYC): First & Third Prize in Graphics; Second & Honorable Mention in Stitchery

  • Westchester Art Society: Honorable Mention in Watercolor

  • Cape Coral National: Honorable Mention in Graphics

  • Alpine Home & School Association: Second Prize in Graphics

Collections

Works held in:

  • Numerous private collections

  • Pratt National Bank of Boston, selected by Boston Printmakers Society

  • Davidson College, NC

  • Planned Parenthood Headquarters, Hackensack, NJ

  • Included in "First Illustrated Anthology of Bergen County Poetry," 1975

Personal Life and Philosophy

McCabe was legendary among friends and family for her relentless creative energy — knitting at stoplights, sculpting clay while pedaling a stationary bike, and later embracing digital art on her iPad. She was an avid traveler, cyclist, skier, museum-goer, and lover of discovery.

She once said her inspiration came from “the thrill that comes with discovery of unexpected effects,” a phrase that beautifully summarizes her experimental, lifelong artistic journey.

Katherine R. McCabe, Figure Reading, 1970s. Intaglio etching, 14 × 10 in., edition 3/50, pencil-signed. A finely rendered interior study by a widely exhibited American artist with a strong exhibition résumé and excellent technical training.

ARTIST: Katherine Robinson McCabe (1926–2012)
TITLE: Figure Reading
DATE: 1970s
MEDIUM: Intaglio etching
EDITION: 3/50
SIZE: 14 × 10 in. (image)
SIGNATURE: Pencil-signed “Katherine McCabe” lower right
PROVENANCE: Mitch Morse Gallery → Artfind Gallery
AUTHENTICITY: Work is confirmed original and consistent with McCabe’s known etching style, linework, and signature.
COMMENTS: Strong exhibition history increases desirability; excellent acquisition for collectors of American women printmakers.

Provenance Chain

Artist → Mitch Morse Gallery (NYC + international acquisitions) → Artfind Gallery, Washington, D.C.


10x14 image 5.25 x 7.25”



Katherine Robinson McCabe

Katherine Robinson McCabe, a prolific painter, printmaker, and sculptor, an artist of rare energy, Mrs. McCabe was renowned among her wide circle of friends and large extended family for never sitting idle--not even at stoplights behind the wheel of her car. She would dive into her knitting bag (always at her side for such dull moments) and click half way through a row of stitches before the light turned green. Once, when she was about 80, a grandson found her in her basement studio characteristically engaged: Atop her stationary bike, she was pedaling with determination while reading a book propped open on the handlebars, her hands at work molding a ball of clay into a small "pinch pot."

Mrs. McCabe began her career as a medical illustrator in New York City. A lover of museums and galleries, she would pore over the reviews of New York City shows, mapping out weekend tours of those she couldn't bear to miss. Deeply energized by all that she saw, there was hardly a medium that Mrs. McCabe didn't explore including, toward the end of her life, making luminous paintings on her iPad. Her inspiration? "The thrill that comes with discovery of unexpected effects," she once said.

The winner of numerous awards in group shows, she held a series of solo exhibitions between 1974 and 2005, including two at the Southern Vermont Art Center in Manchester, VT. Her work is now in many private collections.

An intrepid traveler, Mrs. McCabe biked alone through Europe on a three-speed after college. She whirled across the United States in a station wagon loaded with her five children and a visiting French student, toting a wobbly trailer crammed with their camping gear. And on numerous trips in her later years, she toured the world with her husband, retracing the ancient Silk Route from Beijing to Moscow, exploring the art and architecture of St. Petersburg, and visiting Normandy, London, and Sicily.

Mrs. McCabe loved the outdoors. A hiker and a skier, she spent happy afternoons and moonlit nights with her husband, children, and friends gliding through the snowy fields and woods near her home. And tennis was a decades-long passion. She was an accomplished and exuberant player.

Mrs. McCabe was born in Glens Falls, NY, on Dec. 30, 1926. A 1948 fine arts graduate of Radcliffe College, she held a master's of art and education from Columbia University and studied at the Art Student's League and Pratt Graphics, both in New York.

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