Neele & Son, Libra
Recommended by Nikki (Fine Print Photographer & Content Publisher):
"The constellation ‘Libra’ was named over 3500 years ago for containing the point in the sky where the sun crosses the equator when it travels from the northern to southern hemisphere (autumnal equinox). It has since become a zodiac sign that represents balance and fairness, symbolized by a set of scales. This engraving, printed 200 years ago, resonates just as strongly today. When we slow down and look up at a clear night sky, we plug into something so much older and bigger than our own individual lives. We get to see just how big the world we live in really is."
Utagawa Hiroshige I, Iki Province. Shisa
Recommended by Emma (Marketing & Communications Manager):
"The entire Famous Views of the Sixty-odd Provinces are a truly transportive experience. Though impossible to choose a single favorite, #68 has always stood out to me because of its unique black sky. This stunning scene of snow and stars is magical."
Maurillo Minuzzi, Panorama I
Recommended by Suzannah (Collections Assistant):
"I am fascinated by places and scenes that defy reason and stretch the imagination. Maurillo Minuzzi's Panorama I depicts a lone mountain floating in a sea of negative space, which initially feels realistic but like a place in a dream it grows stranger the longer it is observed. The mountain has the topography of land but the texture of a body, and it casts a shadow on the sky behind it. Panorama I takes the viewer to a place that is familiar to their subconscious and difficult to comprehend."
Käthe Kollwitz, Conspiracy (Beratung)
Recommended by Paige (Collections Manager):
"Perhaps the biggest draw to an artwork for me is the drama, which Conspiracy delivers without a doubt. Käthe Kollwitz is the great artist of the people, of the suffering worker, mother, and the broken. This scene from The Weaver's Revolt series is dark and heavy with dense lines that relate to the emotion of the piece and its huddled workers. I can feel the weight of their words and their pain through the artist's hand."
Albert de Belleroche, La toque noir (The Black Hat)
Recommended by Catherine (Collections Assistant):
"I am captivated by the sitter in this Albert de Belleroche lithograph, La Toque Noire (The Black Hat). Belleroche's candid portrait of this early 20th century woman provides such a sensitive portrayal of her facial expression that the viewer can almost imagine what's on her mind- or at least is compelled to wonder. Despite her composed outward appearance, so much is contained in her far-off look. Is she simply day-dreaming out of boredom, or is she feeling a deep sense of ennui and disquiet? The rendering of her face is so nuanced that the viewer's own feelings easily influence their interpretation of her expression."
