Jack Hagman’s “Forest II” is a serene, atmospheric woodland lithograph where sunlight dissolves into mist, illuminating layered trees and distant hills in tones of gold, olive, rust, and soft blue. Signed and numbered 147/300, this 11×14 in. composition showcases Hagman’s refined mastery of color separation, tonal layering, and contemporary landscape abstraction. A timeless choice for collectors seeking luminous nature scenes, modernist American printmaking, and evocative forest imagery.
In “Forest II,” Hagman presents a tranquil lakeside forest bathed in ethereal golden light. The foreground trees rise in elegant vertical forms, their branches textured with clusters of rust, ochre, and moss-green foliage. Behind them, pale mist and warm sunlight blend into distant silhouettes of layered hills, rendered in soft washes of yellow and pale green. The faint suggestion of water at the horizon adds quiet depth, inviting the viewer into a meditative natural retreat.
Hagman’s color lithography technique is on full display: multiple plates build a world of diffused light, transparent veils of color, and overlapping textures. The delicate interplay of warm and cool tones evokes dawn or late afternoon—moments when sunlight becomes almost tactile. The print’s surface feels painterly, yet the precision of lithographic registration gives structure to the organic forms.
At the bottom margin, the print is signed “Hagman”, titled “Forest II”, and numbered 147/300. Like “Forest I,” this piece reveals Hagman’s fascination with forests as living architecture—places defined by rhythm, softness, and shifting illumination. His landscapes prioritize emotional resonance over realism, turning nature into a visual poem of light and atmosphere.
Jack (John) Hagman (American, 1937–2015) was a painter, printmaker, and theater artist whose work bridges modernist design and expressive landscape interpretation. Born on December 22, 1937, in Chicago, Illinois, Hagman grew up in a vibrant cultural environment and studied art in the Chicago area, gaining a strong foundation in drawing, composition, and contemporary painting techniques.
His career flourished in the late 1960s and 1970s, when he produced a series of lithographs—both geometric and landscape-based—that were widely circulated through American galleries. Merrill Chase Galleries, a major force in contemporary art distribution at that time, helped introduce Hagman’s prints to collectors nationwide. His works entered significant institutional collections, including the Notable: Artist has three works in the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College.
Hagman’s landscapes are known for their atmospheric depth, tonal layering, and abstraction of natural forms. Instead of literal depiction, he sought to capture how spaces feel: the quiet weight of a canyon, the filtered glow of forest light, or the rhythmic rise of distant hills. Many of his compositions—like “Forest I,” “Forest II,” and his “Butte” series—employ simplified silhouettes, atmospheric mist, textured foliage, and luminous color fields to create emotional, contemplative scenes.
His artistic expression extended beyond visual art. Hagman was also an actor, director, and set designer for the Chicago Street Theatre in Valparaiso, Indiana, where he lived for many years. This connection to theater enriched his visual work with a sense of staging, mood, and spatial drama.
Throughout his career, Hagman participated in regional exhibitions, taught within arts communities, and contributed to a network of Midwest creative circles. His lithographs, produced with meticulous technical skill and a deep sensitivity to landscape, remain popular in auctions and galleries, especially among collectors of modernist American nature-based works.
Jack Hagman passed away on April 3, 2015, leaving behind a significant body of work that continues to resonate for its calm emotional tone, refined craftsmanship, and harmonious blend of abstraction and nature.
Jack Hagman (1937–2015), Forest II, c.1970s, 11×14 in. color lithograph, signed lower right, titled, numbered 147/300. Atmospheric golden woodland scene with layered color; excellent impression.
Certificate of Value & Authentication
This certificate affirms that “Forest II” is an original lithograph by Jack Hagman (American, 1937–2015).
Medium: Hand-pulled color lithograph
Dimensions: approx. 11 × 14 inches
Date: c. 1970s
Edition: 147/300
Signature: Signed “Hagman”; titled and numbered in graphite
Authentication is supported by examination of signature, edition notation, printing characteristics, and provenance from Mitch Morse Gallery. Suitable for insurance, appraisal, and resale.
Artist: Jack Hagman (American, 1937–2015)
Original U.S. gallery / print publisher distribution, c.1970s
Acquired by Mitch Morse Gallery, New York (with additional sourcing across the U.S. & Europe)
Sold through Mitch Morse Gallery to private collectors
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington DC
Jack Hagman’s “Forest II” is a serene, atmospheric woodland lithograph where sunlight dissolves into mist, illuminating layered trees and distant hills in tones of gold, olive, rust, and soft blue. Signed and numbered 147/300, this 11×14 in. composition showcases Hagman’s refined mastery of color separation, tonal layering, and contemporary landscape abstraction. A timeless choice for collectors seeking luminous nature scenes, modernist American printmaking, and evocative forest imagery.
In “Forest II,” Hagman presents a tranquil lakeside forest bathed in ethereal golden light. The foreground trees rise in elegant vertical forms, their branches textured with clusters of rust, ochre, and moss-green foliage. Behind them, pale mist and warm sunlight blend into distant silhouettes of layered hills, rendered in soft washes of yellow and pale green. The faint suggestion of water at the horizon adds quiet depth, inviting the viewer into a meditative natural retreat.
Hagman’s color lithography technique is on full display: multiple plates build a world of diffused light, transparent veils of color, and overlapping textures. The delicate interplay of warm and cool tones evokes dawn or late afternoon—moments when sunlight becomes almost tactile. The print’s surface feels painterly, yet the precision of lithographic registration gives structure to the organic forms.
At the bottom margin, the print is signed “Hagman”, titled “Forest II”, and numbered 147/300. Like “Forest I,” this piece reveals Hagman’s fascination with forests as living architecture—places defined by rhythm, softness, and shifting illumination. His landscapes prioritize emotional resonance over realism, turning nature into a visual poem of light and atmosphere.
Jack (John) Hagman (American, 1937–2015) was a painter, printmaker, and theater artist whose work bridges modernist design and expressive landscape interpretation. Born on December 22, 1937, in Chicago, Illinois, Hagman grew up in a vibrant cultural environment and studied art in the Chicago area, gaining a strong foundation in drawing, composition, and contemporary painting techniques.
His career flourished in the late 1960s and 1970s, when he produced a series of lithographs—both geometric and landscape-based—that were widely circulated through American galleries. Merrill Chase Galleries, a major force in contemporary art distribution at that time, helped introduce Hagman’s prints to collectors nationwide. His works entered significant institutional collections, including the Notable: Artist has three works in the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College.
Hagman’s landscapes are known for their atmospheric depth, tonal layering, and abstraction of natural forms. Instead of literal depiction, he sought to capture how spaces feel: the quiet weight of a canyon, the filtered glow of forest light, or the rhythmic rise of distant hills. Many of his compositions—like “Forest I,” “Forest II,” and his “Butte” series—employ simplified silhouettes, atmospheric mist, textured foliage, and luminous color fields to create emotional, contemplative scenes.
His artistic expression extended beyond visual art. Hagman was also an actor, director, and set designer for the Chicago Street Theatre in Valparaiso, Indiana, where he lived for many years. This connection to theater enriched his visual work with a sense of staging, mood, and spatial drama.
Throughout his career, Hagman participated in regional exhibitions, taught within arts communities, and contributed to a network of Midwest creative circles. His lithographs, produced with meticulous technical skill and a deep sensitivity to landscape, remain popular in auctions and galleries, especially among collectors of modernist American nature-based works.
Jack Hagman passed away on April 3, 2015, leaving behind a significant body of work that continues to resonate for its calm emotional tone, refined craftsmanship, and harmonious blend of abstraction and nature.
Jack Hagman (1937–2015), Forest II, c.1970s, 11×14 in. color lithograph, signed lower right, titled, numbered 147/300. Atmospheric golden woodland scene with layered color; excellent impression.
Certificate of Value & Authentication
This certificate affirms that “Forest II” is an original lithograph by Jack Hagman (American, 1937–2015).
Medium: Hand-pulled color lithograph
Dimensions: approx. 11 × 14 inches
Date: c. 1970s
Edition: 147/300
Signature: Signed “Hagman”; titled and numbered in graphite
Authentication is supported by examination of signature, edition notation, printing characteristics, and provenance from Mitch Morse Gallery. Suitable for insurance, appraisal, and resale.
Artist: Jack Hagman (American, 1937–2015)
Original U.S. gallery / print publisher distribution, c.1970s
Acquired by Mitch Morse Gallery, New York (with additional sourcing across the U.S. & Europe)
Sold through Mitch Morse Gallery to private collectors
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington DC
