Lithograph on paper
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Curwen Studio
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/john-piper-1774" aria-label="More by John Piper" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">John Piper</a>
Foliate Head
Presented by Curwen Studio through the Institute of Contemporary Prints 1975
adults
animals: fantastic
body
colour
emotions, concepts and ideas
foliage
formal qualities
Green Man
head / face
literature and fiction
man
people
plant / human
plants and flowers
tales, legends and traditional
<p>Foliate or ‘leafy’ heads such as this one are perhaps one of John Piper’s most distinctive motifs, appearing in his works in a variety of media including tapestries and ceramics as well as drawings, paintings and prints. Their form is based loosely on traditional ‘green men’, found in the architecture of many medieval and nineteenth-century buildings. The recurrence of the image perhaps reflects Piper’s fascination with detailed medieval church carvings , particularly misericords - small wooden shelves installed in churches to provide some comfort for those needing it during long periods of standing prayer.</p><p><em>Gallery label, May 2007</em></p>
paper print lithograph
22 December 2006 – 24 February 2008
2008-02-24
22 December 2006 – 24 February 2008
2008-02-24
2006-12-22
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2006-12-22
John Piper
Collection based display
3 February 2009 – 25 April 2009
2009-04-25
3 February 2009 – 26 April 2009
2009-04-26
2009-02-03
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2009-02-03
Altermodern: Tate Triennial 2009
Exhibition
Foliate Head
image: 391 × 264 mm
Presented by <a href="/search?gid=999999974" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Curwen Studio</a> through the Institute of Contemporary Prints 1975
<p>Foliate or ‘leafy’ heads such as this one are perhaps one of John Piper’s most distinctive motifs, appearing in his works in a variety of media including tapestries and ceramics as well as drawings, paintings and prints. Their form is based loosely on traditional ‘green men’, found in the architecture of many medieval and nineteenth-century buildings. The recurrence of the image perhaps reflects Piper’s fascination with detailed medieval church carvings , particularly misericords - small wooden shelves installed in churches to provide some comfort for those needing it during long periods of standing prayer.</p>

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2007-05-03T00:00:00
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adults animals: fantastic body colour emotions, concepts and ideas foliage formal qualities Green Man head / face literature and fiction man people plant / human plants and flowers tales, legends and traditional