John Piper

Avebury (or Archaeological Wiltshire)

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About this artwork

This collage captures the prehistoric standing stones and surrounding landscape at Avebury in Wiltshire, England. This complex Neolithic stone henge and circle was also depicted by John Piper’s contemporary, Paul Nash (1889–1946) in watercolours, paintings and photographs during the mid-1930s. For the standing stones, Piper has carefully torn pieces of paper with black ink already applied in different patterns and textures, to evoke a sense of their rugged stone surfaces. The act of collaging different types of paper together creates an energetic scene and captures cloudy and blustery weather conditions. It also allowed Piper to work quickly and responsively while in the landscape.

Published September 2022

  • artist:
    John Piper (1903 - 1992) English
  • title:
    Avebury (or Archaeological Wiltshire)
  • date created:
    Dated 1936
  • materials:
    Collage, gouache and ink on paper
  • measurements:
    41.20 x 53.00 cm (framed: 53.30 x 66.20 x 5.20 cm)
  • object type:
  • credit line:
    Purchased 1964
  • accession number:
    GMA 893
  • gallery:
  • subject:
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John Piper

John Piper