Stan Washburn Signed Etching 1982 Eagle Moral Alphabet of Vice & Folly

Original Signed Etching by Stan Washburn (American, b. 1943)
"E is for Eagle" from A Moral Alphabet of Vice and Folly
Numbered 62/120, Pencil-Signed "S. Washburn © 1982"

An original hand-pulled etching from Stan Washburn's celebrated print series
"A Moral Alphabet of Vice and Folly" (1982–1984). Washburn — once described
as "San Francisco's finest sixteenth-century artist" — is renowned for his
meticulous etchings that combine Old Master technique with sharp contemporary
wit. His work draws on Rembrandt, Castiglione, Goya, and Meryon, and is held
in major collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Frye Art
Museum, and others.

This etching depicts a magnificent eagle adorned with extravagant plumage,
accompanied by Washburn's wry fable hand-engraved into the plate:

"A celebrated Eagle was rebuked for taking such satisfaction in his
magnificence. 'All that distinguishes you from the pigeon is your
swiftness, your power, and your terrible talons and beak,' jibed his
interlocutor.
'How right you are,' replied the eagle.
Moral: It's fun to rub it in."

★ DETAILS ★
- Artist: Stan Washburn (American, b. 1943)
- Title: E is for Eagle, from "A Moral Alphabet of Vice and Folly"
- Year: 1982
- Medium: Original etching on heavy deckle-edge cream paper
- Edition: 62/120, numbered in pencil lower left
- Signature: Pencil-signed "S. Washburn © 1982" lower right
- Plate size: approx. 7 × 8 inches (visible plate impression)
- Sheet size: approx. 13 × 10.5 inches (full sheet with deckle edges)

★ CONDITION ★
Excellent unframed condition. Clean, crisp impression with strong contrast.
Bright white paper, no foxing, no toning, no tears, no creasing. Plate
impression clearly visible. Full deckle edges intact on all four sides.
Comes in original clear archival sleeve (visible in photos) with light
corner tape residue on the sleeve only — the etching itself is pristine
and untouched.

Offered UNFRAMED — the preferred state for serious print collectors, as
it preserves the full deckle edges and allows the plate impression to be
appreciated. The current archival sleeve protects the work in storage and
can be retained or discarded as you prefer.

★ ABOUT THE ARTIST ★
Stan Washburn is a contemporary American artist and author whose work
blends classical printmaking with biting modern humor. His Moral Alphabet
of Vice and Folly series revives a 16th-century format — image paired
with a short, ironic moral — and applies it to satirize human foibles
from A to Z. The series was later compiled into an illustrated book
published in 1986. Washburn's etchings are widely collected and his work
is held in numerous museum collections across the United States.

★ ABOUT THE WORK ★
"E is for Eagle" is one of the most accessible and beloved images in the
Moral Alphabet series — combining Washburn's exquisitely rendered birds
(comparable in technique to Old Master ornithological studies) with the
artist's signature dry humor about vanity and self-regard. It's a perfect
piece for collectors of fine prints, lovers of natural history illustration,
fans of literary or satirical art, or anyone with a sense of humor about
human nature.

★ DISPLAY ★
Frames beautifully under glass with a generous mat. Recommended framing
size: 16 × 20 inches with a 4-inch cream or warm-white mat to showcase
the plate impression and deckled paper edges. For archival display, use
acid-free matting and UV-protective glass. The image works equally well
in a traditional library/study setting or as a witty counterpoint in a
contemporary minimalist space.

★ SHIPPING ★
Carefully packaged flat between rigid boards in a sturdy stay-flat mailer.
Ships USPS within 1–2 business days from Washington State. Insured
shipping available upon request.

Please review all photos as they form part of the description. Questions
welcome — happy to provide additional photos or details.