Study for "Thorn Head" [verso]

1949

Graham Sutherland

Associated Names
Graham Sutherland

Artist, British, 1903 - 1980

The image displays a curved line crossing the canvas. Numerous short, dotted lines and patterns surround the line. The abstract composition is built with textured shading and lines that give depth and movement. The dotted patterns and arcs can evoke a bicycle wheel or the inside of a shell. The repetition and placement of lines suggest a circular or organic form found in nature.
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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    black chalk heightened with white chalk on brown wove paper

  • Credit Line

    Gift of William B. O'Neal

  • Dimensions

    overall: 21.6 x 13.4 cm (8 1/2 x 5 1/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1995.52.176.b

Associated Artworks

The image has bold, dark lines and geometric shapes twisting and curving in a rectangular frame. The composition is abstract, flowing dynamically. It has a resemblance to a curious creature with an elongated body and bent limbs. The arrangement of shapes and lines might suggest a praying mantis-like form, with elements that resemble an eye and an arm. The texture inside the frame varies, with dots and shading adding to its abstract quality.

Study for "Mantis" [recto]

Graham Sutherland

1950

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Redfern Gallery, Ltd.); purchased by William B. O'Neal, Charlottesville, VA, 1956-1994; gift to NGA, 1995.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1961

  • Drawings from the Collection of William B. O'Neal, University of Virgina Museum of Fine Arts, Charlottesville, March 5-25, 1961.

1971

  • Master Drawings from the O'Neal Collection, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond and tour, 1971-1972.

Wikidata ID

Q64572760

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