Otto Kuhler 1894-1976 Kuhler was born in Germany into a family that was very successful in the iron and steel industry. This likely explains his affinity for industrial images, although he is best known for his images of steam locomotives. He emigrated to the United States in 1923 as the family business collapsed in the aftermath of World War I. Prior to coming to this country he worked as an engineer, designer, and magazine editor, the fusion of these diverse experiences contributing to his artistic vision. He was successful as an etcher initially in New York and then Pittsburgh where he created images of the steel industry. He also worked designing locomotives for Milwaukee Road, Lehigh, and other companies, including the famous Hiawatha, the fastest locomotive in the world in the 1930s. He also designed the famous finned observation car for the Milwaukee Road. He is an iconic artist working the in WPA realism style, although was not funded by the Works Progress Administration. His etchings capture the power, energy, and industry in the United States in the pre- and post-World War II era.
This is an unusual image for Kuhler, but still shows all his typical artistic vision and affinity for transportation subjects, in this case the Paddlewheeler America. The boat is beautifully framed by the crepuscular rays of the setting sun an effective difficult to capture in an etching. The image shows some age. The sheet is untrimmed, but has some mat burn well away from the image. There is some discoloration in the lower left of the image. It is crisply printed and signed in pencil in the lower right. This would be an excellent candidate for restoration and is priced to reflect condition.