A Nicely Built City Never Resists Destruction

1995

William Kentridge

Associated Names
William Kentridge

Artist, South African, born 1955

Caversham Press

Publisher, founded 1985

The image shows a scene featuring a prominent rock formation at a slightly left-leaning angle. The horizon, with distant mountains, is situated in the upper part of the composition. Detailed brushstrokes create texture on the rock and surroundings. The color scheme is primarily gray and black, emphasizing contrast. Foliage and possible structures are hinted at in the foreground, while the landscape flattens towards the horizon. At the bottom, a phrase reads: "A NICELY BUILT CITY NEVER RESISTS DESTRUCTION."
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Artwork overview

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Robert Brown Gallery, Washington, DC); Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 2001; acquired 2015 by the National Gallery of Art

Associated Names

Bibliography

2006

  • Krut, David, and Susan Stewart. William Kentridge Prints. Johannesburg, South Africa: David Krut Publishing, 2006, p. 53.

Inscriptions

lower center in plate: A NICELY BUILT CITY NEVER RESISTS DESTRUCTION; lower left in graphite: 38/50; lower right in graphite: W Kentridge

Markings

embossed lower left: CC

Wikidata ID

Q77009940

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