Chester Leich

Chester Leich was born January 31, 1889 in Evansville, Indiana. He spent much of his youth in Europe, where he received most of his general education and later studied art from 1910 to 1915. He began his art studies in Florence, where he worked with Giovanni Giacometti, a leading Swiss painter and father of Alberto Giacometti, the sculptor. Leich reported that his principal teacher in Europe was Arthur Siebelist in Humburg. He also studied graphic arts with Wilhelm Oesterle in Berlin. Leich eventually settled in Washinton D.C., USA.

Leich’s print "Landing at Ulvik" was selected for "Fine Prints of the Year" in 1930. He was selected again in 1932 with "Village Street, Benford." The annual book publication was produced between 1923 and 1938. It discussed the etching, engravings, woodcuts and lithographs produced by major artists in each given year.