Ruby, from the series Oxygems
John Torreano
(American, born in 1941)
1989
Medium/TechniqueColor woodcut with embossing
DimensionsSheet: 74.8 x 91.5 cm (29 7/16 x 36 in.)
Credit LineGift of Robert Bradford and Barbara Ketcham Wheaton
Accession number2008.9
On View
Not on viewClassificationsPrints
Collections
The Torreano "Oxygem" series is full of ironies in its emphatic use of wood grain textures to depict polished, faceted gems. The artist used scissors to cut veneers of ash and mahogany which were them glued to plywood blocks. This allowed him to orient the grain in multiple directions. The matrix for the heavily embossed background grain was sandblasted plywood.For others in the series, see 2008.5, 2008.6, 2008.7, 2008.8.
InscriptionsNumbered, signed, and dated lower right in graphite pencil: A. P. 9 Torreano '90
Verso lower left in graphite pencil [publisher's numbering]: 89.473EProvenanceGil Einstein (New York); to Robert and Barbara Wheaton (Concord, MA); their gift to MFA, December 12, 2007.
CopyrightReproduced with permission.
John D. Batten
