Presentation: Bookish Things: The Published (and Unfinished) Books of Gustave Baumann

Thomas Leech, the former curator of the Palace Press will talk about Gustave Baumann's books during our free Baumannia Community Day on Sun., Sept. 28, 2:45 - 3:15 p.m. at the New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe.

When Gustave Baumann announced a new studio on Canyon Road in early 1919, he promised new prints and “some bookish things that the Koshare Press has condescended to publish.” The making of books is a little-known aspect of Baumann’s career, but the life-long pursuit of that promise presented him with successes and unresolved challenges.

Thomas Leech is the former curator of the Palace Press at the New Mexico History Museum. He is the co-author, with Jean Moss, of "Gustave Baumann and Friends" (2014), and with Carmella Padilla, "Printing the Spirt: Gustave Baumann’s Santos" (2025). He has contributed essays to the award-winning "In a Modern Rendering: The Color Woodcuts of Gustave Baumann" (2019) and "Gustave Baumann: The Artist’s Environment" (2025).

Image: Gustave Baumann, Design for a Change-of-Address Card: “Go West” (back cover), 1919. Color woodcut, 3 7/8 "~ 3 1/8 in. Collection of the New Mexico Museum of Art. Museum purchase with funds raised by the School of American Research, 1952.

You may also like the following events from New Mexico History Museum:

• This month, 28th September, 11:00 am, Baumannia Community Day in Santa Fe
• This month, 28th September, 11:00 am, Print Like Baumann Block-Printing Activity in Santa Fe
• This month, 28th September, 12:00 pm, Showing of Craft in America’s “Miniatures” TV episode in Santa Fe

Also check out other Arts events in Santa Fe, Literary Art events in Santa Fe.