Eagle with Thomas Aquinas Quote – 1961 Woodblock by Fritz Urban Welti
Woodblock print of an eagle and a bat with a German version of the Saint Thomas Aquinas quote:
“Though the eyes of the bat do not behold the sun, it is seen by the eye of the eagle.”
The German reads: “Mag die Auge des Nachtvogels die Sonne nicht sehen, es schaut sie dennoch die Auge des Adlers. Thomas von Aquino”
The eagle is the symbol of St. John, because, according to Aquinas, “John flies like an eagle above the cloud of human weakness and looks upon the light of unchanging truth with the most lofty and firm eyes of the heart […]
Dimensions: Sheet approx 14.5 x 19.5 cm (full sheet) – Shown larger than scale below.
Woodblock / Woodcut print on Japan Paper
This woodcut is one of a series commissioned by the Welti family transport business, Welti-Furrer, of which Fritz Urban’s grandfather was a founder.
From a limited edition of 20 designed in 1961 as New Years Cards for fortunate clients of the Welti-Furrer company. We have several sheets from this edition and the number within the edition may be different from the number shown.
Zurich 1901 - Zollikon 1974
Fritz Urban Welti was a painter and a master of the woodcut print. He was born in Zurich in 1901 and died in Zollikon near Zurich in 1974. He studied in Cologne, Vienna and Paris and was well known for his book illustrations. He was the nephew of the famous Swiss symbolist artist Albert Welti.
The Woodcuts on this page were executed as commissions for the Welti family transport business, Welti-Furrer, of which Fritz Urban's grandfather was a founder.
There is a very old tradition in Switzerland that companies and societies give a print ((Neujahrsblatt) to their clients and associates at New Years. Welti created these "New Years Print " engravings for the company beginning in the early 1930s. In some years a second card was also created that could be used as a birthday card for clients.
We are pleased to be able to offer signed limited editions, handprinted by the artist, of some of the woodblock prints below.
