Household paint, shellac and sand on board
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
ARTIST ROOMS
National Heritage Memorial Fund
Art Fund
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/joseph-beuys-747" aria-label="More by Joseph Beuys" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Joseph Beuys</a>
Natural History
ARTIST ROOMS
Acquired jointly with the National Galleries of Scotland through The d'Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Art Fund 2008
abstraction
emotions, concepts and ideas
Ernst, Max, portfolio,  ‘Histoire Naturelle’
fine art and design, named works
formal qualities
gestural
non-representational
objects
texture
tools and machinery
wood
relief household paint shellac sand board
13 October 2017 – 21 January 2018
2018-01-21
13 October 2017 – 21 January 2018
2018-01-21
2017-10-13
Leeds Art Gallery (Leeds, UK)
http://www.leeds.gov.uk/artgallery/
2017-10-13
ARTIST ROOMS 2017: Joseph Beuys
Loan-out
Natural History
support: 333 × 366 mm
frame: 680 × 525 × 87 mm
<a href="/search?gid=999999788" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">ARTIST ROOMS</a>
Acquired jointly with the National Galleries of Scotland through The d'Offay Donation with assistance from the <a href="/search?gid=999999967" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">National Heritage Memorial Fund</a> and the <a href="/search?gid=999999968" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Art Fund</a> 2008
<p>The title given to this object relates it to Max Ernst's 'Histoire Naturelle' (Natural History) portfolio, published in 1926. Ernst used the technique of frottage to create fantastical drawings based on rubbings taken from woodgrain. Beuys has gone directly to the source of Ernst's images by presenting a piece of wood which is beautifully textured and neatly cut into a square. This work shows that Ernst's interest in the potential of the natural world was shared by Beuys. The two German artists also share a 'rebirth' myth, as Ernst claimed to have 'died' at the start of the First World War and been resuscitated in 1918.</p>

Online caption
2009-04-16T00:00:00
online-caption
ONLINE_CAPTION
abstraction emotions, concepts and ideas Ernst, Max, portfolio,  ‘Histoire Naturelle’ fine art and design, named works formal qualities gestural non-representational objects texture tools and machinery wood