These serigraphs were done as part of a limited-edition by Stanley Mouse reprinting his airbrushed black and white sketches from the cover of Workingman’s Dead and adding color to some of them by hand in watercolor. There were 200 sets made in 1988 and this one is numbered 56/200. Because each was watercolored by hand, no two pieces are alike. It is also unclear how many he hand-watercolored as many copies of this portfolio are just in black and white.
This set is from the artist’s personal collection and has not been previously owned.
Workingman’s Dead was the Grateful Dead’s 4th studio album and was released on June 14, 1970. It marked a move away from the overtly psychedelic experimentation of previous albums in favor of Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter's Americana-styled songcraft. Readers of Rolling Stone Magazine voted it the best album of 1970.
Note that in the full band image, the six band members at the time are joined by Robert Hunter. He is on the far left in a large black coat with old-timey lunch pail in hand. Also, for this serigraph, Stanley Mouse has added some sort of looming giant mole creature to the right of the three smokestacks that was not on the original cover image.
Jerry Garcia SOLD
Bob Weir $3,400
Phil Lesh $3,400
Pigpen SOLD
Billy & Mickey (sold together as a pair) $6,400
Front Cover - Band & Robert Hunter SOLD