Description

An evocative mid-century original lithograph titled "School's Out" (also known as The End of the Day) by the noted American illustrator and painter Howard Baer. This piece is part of a series of nostalgia-driven works Baer created in the 1940s, reflecting on his childhood in a rural Pennsylvania mining town.

The composition features a stark, central schoolhouse with a bell tower, as a double line of children processes out of the main doors. Figures can be seen watching through the windows, lending the work a slightly haunting, surrealist quality characteristic of Baer’s unique narrative style. This work was published by Associated American Artists (AAA) in New York, a group famous for making fine art accessible to the American public.

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Item Details

• Artist: Howard Baer (American, 1906–1986)

• Title: School's Out

• Medium: Original lithograph on cream wove paper

• Date: Circa 1945

• Signature: Hand-signed in pencil by the artist in the lower right margin.

• Dimensions: Sheet measures 16in x 12in; Image size approx. 12.75in x 8.5in.

• Edition: Limited edition of 250.

• Markings: Inventory number "11641" inscribed in pencil in the bottom right corner.

Condition Report

• Overall: Good vintage condition with strong contrast and crisp lines.

• Paper: The sheet features a natural deckled bottom edge. Light age-toning consistent with age.

• Imperfections: A single small foxing spot (approx. 1mm) is visible in the lower right margin. Faint adhesive residue in the upper left corner from a previous mounting.