"Vaquero" 

by John W. Hampton (1918-1999)

Limited Edition Stone Lithographs on Tan Rives Fine Art Paper

Southwest Graphics Number 83-212

Hand painted and signed by the artist

Paper Size: 25 3/4" X 15"

Edition Size: 100

Edition Number:  trial proof (noted on back of print)

 1983

Excellent condition

Certificate of Authenticity is included

This original stone lithograph was printed at Southwest Graphics Workshop in Scottsdale, AZ in 1983 by Printer Kim Baker.

What is an original stone lithograph? 

When an artist creates a work of art on a stone plate, they make what is known as an original stone "lithograph." Because this is a highly specialized process, an original stone lithograph is NOT a reproduction but rather a one-of-a-kind unique piece of artwork. Lithography, or "stone art," was first used around 1789 and is based on the simple physical principle that oil and water do not mix. To create a lithograph, artists often draw an image in reverse on limestone with crayons. The stone is then dampened with water, which is repelled by the greasy medium wherever the artist has drawn their art on the stone. Afterwards, the stone is pressed with a massive roller loaded with oily ink which adheres to the greasy areas of the design, but is repelled by the wet areas of bare stone. Following this, the paper is pressed to the stone and the ink is transferred onto the paper. In a color lithograph, a different stone is used for each color where the stone must be re-inked every time the image is pressed onto the paper. Most modern lithographs are signed and numbered to establish an edition of the print. 

An offset lithograph, also known as a limited edition print, is a reproduction by a mechanical process where the artist has in no way contributed to the making of an original print: that is, they have not designed the plate. Instead, printings, drawings, and watercolors are photo-mechanically reproduced. Very often an artist signs a number of these "reproductions," but they are not true original lithographs.



John W. Hampton 1918-1999
John Wade Hampton was born in New York City in 1918. He was raised in Brooklyn, New York where he developed a love for Tom Mix movies and the West. While in high school, John began illustrating magazines with western subjects, and won a contest for his sketches. At the beginning of World War II, John served in an Intelligence position in the South Pacific. After the war, he purchased a small ranch in Silver City, New Mexico, determined to experience the western cowboy lifestyle. He lived there for twelve years before moving to Arizona. After his move to the west he started sculpting and painting and became a high-quality artist. Hampton became one of the founding members of the Cowboy Artists of America, and was president for a period as well. This organization is dedicated to sculpting and painting western genre scenes. John Wade Hampton was a renowned painter and sculptor of the western way of life, which he grew to know first hand from living the majority of his life in the Southwest.

Shipping Information 

SHIPPED in tube within the continental US. 

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