A wonderful pair of 1940s vintage hand-painted and hand-pulled original lithographs of classic wildflowers of Colorado, identically framed, both signed in pencil by the artist, Lyman Byxbe, at lower right margin, and titled at left "Colorado Columbine" and "Wild Rose". Byxbe is a popular artist closely associated with Colorado's high country.
Byxbe (1886-1980) was born in Illinois and although he had no formal training he possessed a natural talent for visual art and learned the etching process from architect Mark Levings in Nebraska. He began summer trips to Estes Park, Colorado in 1922 and opened shop where he sold his prints. He was elected to the Chicago Society of Etchers and had a one-man show at the Smithsonian. He moved to Estes Park in 1938 and set up shop until his death.
