Louise Nevelson (b. 1899, Kiev-d. 1988, New York)
“Tropical Leaves,” 1972
Embossed lead on CM Fabriano paper
Sheet: 29 x 24 in.; Frame: 30.5 x 25.5 in.
Signed, titled, dated, and editioned to lower margin
Edition 123 of 150
Published by Pace Editions, New York
Printed by Fausta Tosi, Milan and Sergio Tosi, Milan
Catalogue Raisonné: Baro 113
From the lead intaglio collage series where Nevelson used embossed metal sheets to create a metallic relief.
Louise Nevelson’s “Tropical Leaves” stands as a masterful synthesis of sculpture and printmaking, a testament to her relentless pursuit of form beyond conventional boundaries. In this work, part of her lead intaglio collage series series, she translates the tactile depth of her signature wood reliefs into embossed lead intaglio prints, preserving the physicality of sculptural gesture within the two-dimensional plane. The interplay of light, shadow, and surface—so integral to her monumental assemblages—finds new expression here, evolving over time as the lead oxidizes, adding a living, alchemical element to the composition. With this series, Nevelson does more than challenge the limits of medium; she asserts the primacy of transformation itself, aligning her practice with the ephemeral and the eternal, the material and the mystical.
The work will oxidize in time creating its own unique patina.
