Lithograph on paper
Tate Collection
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<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/prunella-clough-921" aria-label="More by Prunella Clough" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Prunella Clough</a>
Cranes
Purchased 1984
crane
emotions, concepts and ideas
formal qualities
objects
silhouette
tools and machinery
paper print lithograph
Cranes
image: 430 × 368 mm
Purchased 1984
<p><a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/clough-cranes-p07910" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>P07910</span></a> <b>Cranes</b> 1952</p>
<p>
<br/>Lithograph 17 × 14 1/2 (430 × 368) on paper 25 3/4 × 19 3/4 (655 × 502), printer unidentified (see below), published by the Redfern Gallery and Millers</p>
<p>Inscribed ‘Clough’ b.r. and ‘3/20’
<br/>Purchased from the artist (Grant-in-Aid) 1984
<br/>
<br/>‘Cranes’ was one of a group of works commissioned by Rex Nan-Kivell of the Redfern in collaboration with Millers, a publishing house set up by Frances Byng-Stamper and Caroline Lucas (who were sisters) to make artists’ <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/l/lithography" title="Glossary definition for 'Lithography'"><span>lithographs</span></a>. Other artists similarly commissioned at this time were Keith Vaughan, Robert Colquhoun and Robert MacBryde. Like several of the series ‘Cranes’ was drawn on transfer <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/paper" title="Glossary definition for 'Paper'"><span>paper</span></a> and sent off to be printed: Clough saw and corrected proofs but had no direct contact with the printers themselves. Two printing studios were being used, Ravel in Paris and the Chiswick Press in London. The image is related to the relatively directly <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/r/representational" title="Glossary definition for 'Representational'"><span>representational</span></a> <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>paintings</span></a> of industrial scenes and lorries Clough was making at this date. Imagery such as the silhouetted girders and strong dark <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/t/tone" title="Glossary definition for 'Tone'"><span>tonal</span></a> blocks in this <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/print" title="Glossary definition for 'Print'"><span>print</span></a> later developed into a still referential but much less specific pictorial language.
<br/>
<br/><b>Published in:</b>
<br/><i>The Tate Gallery 1982-84: Illustrated Catalogue of Acquisitions</i>, London 1986
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-10-13T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
crane emotions, concepts and ideas formal qualities objects silhouette tools and machinery