See Artists A-Z
Greenleaf (portfolio of 5 etchings)
Enlarge
© The Artist

Reference URL

Greenleaf (portfolio of 5 etchings) 1991 - 1992
This etching is part of a portfolio of five inspired by the short story, also called ‘Greenleaf’, by the American writer Flannery O’Connor. Woodrow however, is not simply illustrating the text. In each print he responds to images or words in the story that attracted his attention and seemed to him to be the key elements. The story concerns an old woman, Mrs May, who is tormented by a scrub bull belonging to her neighbours - it eats her crops, keeps her awake and eventually kills her. This image is the second etching in the series and features the bull peering through Venetian blinds into Mrs May’s bedroom window.

Glossary Open

Etching

A form of printmaking in which a metal plate is covered with a substance called a 'ground', usually wax, into which an image is drawn with a needle. Acid is applied, eroding the areas of the plate exposed but not the areas covered by wax. The action of the acid creates lines in the metal plate that hold the ink from which a print is made when the plate is pressed against paper under pressure.

Motif

A distinctive element in a work of art or design.

Portfolio

A group of art works, by one or more artists, issued or housed together in a portfolio case. This often applies to photographs or prints, and portfolios often include a title page or introductory text. The term is also used to describe a group of works which exemplify an artist's work overall.

Etching, Motif, Portfolio

Details

  • Acc. No. GMA 3750
  • Medium Etching
  • Size 50.30 x 60.30 cm or 60.30 x 50.30 cm (paper 68.70 x 76.00 or 76.00 x 68.70 cm)
  • Credit Purchased 1993

See related artworks