Artist: David B. Milne (Canadian, 1882 - 1953). Title: "Painting Place/Hilltop". Medium: Color drypoint. Date: Composed 1931. Dimensions: Overall size: 10 3/8 x 8 7/16 in. (264 x 214 mm). Lot Note(s): Signed in pencil, lower left; signed in the plate, upper left. Edition of 3,000 (of which all were printed?). Cream wove Fabriano paper. Deckle edges lower and right margins. Fine impression. Very good condition. Comment(s): According to ‘Gordon’s Art Reference’ the auction record for this print is $11,651 (C$13,800) at Sotheby's, Toronto & Ritchie's (Important Canadian Art, # 729) - 11/22/2004 – lot #136; the previous record had been $6,818 (C$10,091) at Sotheby's, Toronto (Important Canadian Art) - 6/2/1999 – lot #108. Milne's print, also known as 'Hillitop,' was commissioned for "The Colophon" in an edition of 3,000 unnumbered impressions, all hand printed by him on his press in Palgrave, Ontario, and individually signed in pencil by him in the lower margin. The task took him over a year to accomplish, with consequent variant states within the edition. Milne made this print using a unique method of printing in color from superimposed plates that he developed. He removed the excess ink from his plates with a rag, leaving an uneven texture on the plate. By varying the wiping, each print became unique, with the wiping residue from each plate remaining as random flecks of color. Since he printed so many impressions, Milne had to create about eight sets of the plates and steel face them to protect the fragile burr. Artwork image copyright © the artist or assignee. [28882-2-1200]