Charles Hovey Pepper (American, 1864-1950), Dutch Woman in Cloak / Two Men on a Bridge

Each a woodblock print in colors, including Dutch Woman in Cloak, circa 1906, signed at upper right, published by Kobayashi Bunshichi (12 3/8 x 9 in.); and a print depicting two men on a bridge, signed at lower left (14 x 10 3/8 in.); both unframed.

Charles Hovey Pepper was an American artist and educator known for his landscapes, portraits, and Asian-influenced compositions. Born in Waterville, Maine, Pepper studied at Colby College and later trained in Paris at the Académie Julian. He traveled extensively in Japan and China, where encountered traditional Japanese art forms—particularly woodblock printing, which he began incorporating into his own practice.

Pepper exhibited widely—including at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the National Academy of Design—and taught at Wellesley College. His prints and paintings stand as early American examples of cross-cultural artistic dialogue. Pepper exhibited at institutions including the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the Corcoran Gallery, and the National Academy of Design.

The first with light rubbing to the verso sheet; the second print with wear and minor losses to the edges/corners; both with light toning.