104
William Kentridge
Dutch Iris II
- Estimate
- $25,000 - 35,000
S. 47 3/8 x 31 1/2 in. (120.3 x 80 cm)
Further Details
The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates was the first to bestow the name Iris on the tall, elegant show-stopping flowers, in honor of the Greek goddess of the rainbow. Messenger of the Olympian gods, Iris would descend Olympus to visit the people of Greece, wearing a seven-colored robe that mirrored the meteorological phenomenon. The name could not be more fitting for the flower of wisdom, hope, trust and valor, with its elongated deportment and royal hues. Immortalized by the brush of Vincent van Gogh, the violet queen of florals has inspired artists since ancient times, from the walls of the palace of Knossos on Crete, to the Roman city arms of Florence.
Vincent van Gogh, Irises, 1889, J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles. Image: J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, Digital image courtesy of the Getty's Open Content Program
After studying van Gogh’s series of Iris paintings from the 19th century, William Kentridge delved into his own garden of inspirations in the early 1990s. Kentridge worked with master printer Jack Shirreff at 107 Workshop in Wiltshire, England to develop the large-scale complexities for Dutch Iris II. The subtle shading and fine delineation of the flower’s curling petals exhibit a painterly rendering of rich color with all the dynamism and flair of Kentridge’s palimpsest-like drawing. The artist is best known for his inventive charcoal drawings in which he draws and erases subjects, recording expressionistic and monochromatic compositions at each stage. In his etchings, Kentridge was able to echo this process using Shirreff’s print matrixes, allowing his natural creative process to come alive in this medium.
“I decided to publish this state because it shows William Kentridge’s skill with a brush and Jack Shirreff’s lift-ground aquatint skills as well.”—David Krut
In Dutch Iris II, a single iris stem floats vibrates against a rich and dynamic burgundy background, with monochrome improvisational crosshatching giving energy to the solitary composition. It is as if she is blooming in front of the viewer, morphing with the light as her petals open and close. The movement brings the image alive, dramatically sensualizing the organic curves of the petals against the angular man-made surround.