GERYON

Bruce Conner

1957 · Etching, aquatint and drypoint; final state · Drawings and Prints

In Dante’s Inferno, Geryon is a demon whose radiant, jewel-encrusted form disguises his reptilian body, symbolic of his deceitful nature. The state proofs for this work (2011.214.1–2011.214.8) provide insight into Conner’s gradual obscuring of the figure’s wings, which are visible in early states, and the emphasis he later placed on the black background, which amplifies the subject’s luminosity.

Artist

Bruce Conner

Date

1957

Medium

Etching, aquatint and drypoint; final state

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

John B. Turner Fund, 2011