Dietrich Varez Collection
The Dietrich Varez Collection includes 85 different images as well as related correspondence between Varez and John P. Charlot. The handwritten letters from Varez, dated between 1986-1990, discuss: his donations via John Charlot intended for the Jean Charlot Collection; the prints; and brief mentions of his personal life. He illustrated books including one by his friend John Charlot, The Kamapua‘a Literature: The Classical Traditions of the Hawaiian Pig God as a Body of Literature. Three of the prints are additional donations from Bronwen Solyom and Carol Lagner. The Dietrich Varez Collection is established separately to increase visibility and because it was not part of Jean Charlot's personal collection.
Dietrich Varez (1939–2018) was an iconoclastic printmaker and painter in his life, art, and art business. He produced over 225 woodblock and linoleum prints depicting scenes of Hawaiian mythology and traditional Hawaiian life in a distinctive style that is widely recognized. Varez was ambivalent about selling his work and being considered a professional artist, avoiding publicity. His goal was to make art accessible and affordable and he didn’t care about the art “scene.” He did not limit his editions, making prints until a block was too worn for further production. He dated his prints according to when they were pulled, not the customary way of dating when the block was carved.
See the Dietrich Varez Collection research guide for more information. The images made available here are exclusively for educational use and study. Commercial use of the images is prohibited.
Dietrich Varez (1939–2018) was an iconoclastic printmaker and painter in his life, art, and art business. He produced over 225 woodblock and linoleum prints depicting scenes of Hawaiian mythology and traditional Hawaiian life in a distinctive style that is widely recognized. Varez was ambivalent about selling his work and being considered a professional artist, avoiding publicity. His goal was to make art accessible and affordable and he didn’t care about the art “scene.” He did not limit his editions, making prints until a block was too worn for further production. He dated his prints according to when they were pulled, not the customary way of dating when the block was carved.
See the Dietrich Varez Collection research guide for more information. The images made available here are exclusively for educational use and study. Commercial use of the images is prohibited.
