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Tlaloc

Woodcut
1944 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Albers, Josef (artist)

The German-born Josef Albers (1888-1976) was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. His work with colour and geometric form gave rise to many new ideas about space in visual perception. In 1933 he emigrated to the USA, where he settled. This woodcut shows him working toward the totally geometric abstraction that characterised his work from the 1960s. Albers made the first of fourteen visits to Mexico in 1935 and was much influenced by the art and architecture of that country. Tlaloc was a Mexican god of water and Albers used the pattern of the grain in the wood to suggest the surface of water. The spidery geometry of a figure hanging above it gives an ambiguous depth to the pictorial space.

Object details

Category
Woodcuts
Object type
Woodcut
TitleTlaloc (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Woodcut on Japanese paper
Ink
Japanese Paper
Woodcut
Brief description
Josef Albers: woodcut: Tlaloc. 1944
Physical description
print on paper
Dimensions
  • Height: 39.8cm
  • Width: 28.6cm
Style
Geometric Abstraction
Production typeLimited edition
Copy number
5/35
Marks and inscriptions
  • Albers

    Note
    1) Signature

  • 44

    Note
    Date; 1944

Gallery label
(August 2019)
Josef Albers created experimental optical effects by combining the qualities of materials with carefully cut lines. Here, he used the woodgrain of the block as part of his composition to suggest a rippling surface (Tlaloc refers to a Mexican god of water). The print is spatially ambiguous because the white lines of the geometric form appear to float above the picture plane.
Credit line
Given by the Josef Albers Foundation
Subjects depicted
Mythology
Tlaloc[Mexican Water God]
Summary
The German-born Josef Albers (1888-1976) was one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. His work with colour and geometric form gave rise to many new ideas about space in visual perception. In 1933 he emigrated to the USA, where he settled. This woodcut shows him working toward the totally geometric abstraction that characterised his work from the 1960s. Albers made the first of fourteen visits to Mexico in 1935 and was much influenced by the art and architecture of that country. Tlaloc was a Mexican god of water and Albers used the pattern of the grain in the wood to suggest the surface of water. The spidery geometry of a figure hanging above it gives an ambiguous depth to the pictorial space.
Bibliographic references
  • Eugen Gomringer: Josef Albers. New York, 1968, p.12 (illus.) Werner Spies: Josef Albers. Stuttgart, 1971. p.11. Nicholas Fox-Weber: The Drawings of Josef Albers. New Haven and London, 1984 p.10.(illus.) Rosemary Miles in: Margaret Timmers [Ed.] Impressions of the Twentieth Century. London, V&A Museum, 2001, p.80 (illus.)
  • A complete list of exhibitions up to 1988 is published in: Getulio Alviani [Ed.] Josef Albers. Milan, 1988. See also: Josef Albers: touring exhibition, South Bank Centre exhibition
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.34-1994

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Record createdNovember 29, 2002
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O71083/tlaloc-woodcut-albers-josef/
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