William S. Rice 120-Piece Double-Sided Jigsaw Puzzle Set

Early in the 20th century, William S. Rice established his reputation as an artist and teacher in Northern California where he found abundant inspiration in the natural landscape. In the San Francisco Bay Area, he connected with colleagues who embraced the Arts and Crafts movement, which united enthusiastic and diverse groups of craftsmen, artists, architects, writers, economists, educators, and others. They strove for simplicity in their work and turned away from the assembly-line approach of increasing industrialization, endowing labor with dignity by mastering every step in the making of their projects. In this spirit, Rice created his block prints, accomplishing the entire process: designing, then carving the blocks, and finally printing them. The four block prints reproduced here include two of Rice’s famous landscapes and two florals showcasing a softer side of his woodblock printmaking.