Stan Washburn

Stan Washburn is a contemporary American artist and author whose work masterfully blends classical technique with modern wit. Once described as "San Francisco’s finest sixteenth-century artist," Washburn is known for his etchings, paintings, and illustrations that draw stylistic inspiration from the Old Masters—Rembrandt, Castiglione, and Goya among them—while delivering a distinctly modern sensibility.

His acclaimed series, The Moral Alphabet of Vice and Folly (1982–1984), exemplifies this fusion. Echoing a format popular since the 16th century, each image is paired with a short, ironic moral commentary. The series was later compiled into an illustrated book published in 1986, notable for including rare alternate versions of several prints.

Washburn’s visual art has been acquired by major collections across the United States. His illustrations often satirize human foibles with sharp intelligence and tongue-in-cheek humor, rendered in the detailed, formal style of Renaissance engraving.

A creative force across disciplines, Washburn is also the author of the novel Intent to Harm, which was selected by the Book-of-the-Month Club in 1994. His work—both visual and literary—continues to engage audiences with its unique blend of craftsmanship, irony, and insight.

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS (selected)
Achenbach Foundation for the Graphic Arts, San Francisco CA
Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY
Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, IL
DeCordova Museum, Lincoln, MA
The Frye Museum of Art, Seattle, WA
Houghton Library Print Collection
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Library of Congress, Washington, DC
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
New York Public Library, Print Division, New York, NY
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
W. R. Nelson Gallery, Kansas City, MO
Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
Asheville Art Museum, Asheville, NC