Hollyhocks - George Baxter

Gift of Henry M. Huxley

"Hollyhocks" by George Baxter (1857) Aquatint on steel printed in brown, with block printing in colors, on wove paper, laid down on board.

Commentary

"Hollyhocks" by George Baxter (1857) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together. The print-based method rewards close viewing, where line, texture, and contrast do most of the expressive work. Themes to notice include woo d engraving. This piece is held in the source collection's Prints and Drawings collection. George Baxter is the artist behind this work. A useful anchor for reading the piece: George Baxter (English, 1804-1867) after Valentine Bartholomew (English, 1799-1879). The work is cataloged within a England cultural context. How to look at this work: It is cataloged as wood engraving, which gives a clue to how the museum frames the object. Its medium (Aquatint on steel printed in brown, with block printing in colors, on wove paper, laid down on board) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances. Its listed dimensions (Sheet: 38 × 27 cm (15 × 10 11/16 in.); mount: 45.9 × 34.1 cm (18 1/8 × 13 7/16 in.)) suggest how intimate or monumental it may feel in person. Subject cues from the catalog include wood engraving. Compare this reading with the museum record at the source collection: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/59506

Sources: Art Institute of Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago / Public Records; Art Institute of Chicago Collection Data