Torrey Pine

Gustave Baumann

“Torrey Pine” is one of Baumann’s last woodcuts and certainly one of his strongest statements of his mastery of his medium. In this woodcut, Baumann has distilled the ornamental aspect of the ruggedly beautiful Torrey pine. Negative space sculpts the trunks and branches which are embellished with long black needles and blue cones. Baumann’s carving and color combination created one of his most elegant color woodcuts.

The 1,750-acre Torrey Pines Natural Reserve lies within the city limits of San Diego. The reserve is dedicated to preserving the Torrey pine, which originated in Mexico and is now considered America’s rarest pine, as it grows only in this reserve and on Santa Rosa Island, off the coast of Santa Barbara.