Graphite on paper
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>
INTELLIGENTIA
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
animals: birds
animals: insects & lower animals
bee
bird - non-specific
figure
from recognisable sources
swan
paper unique graphite
INTELLIGENTIA
support: 254 × 256 mm
frame: 674 × 542 × 28 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>This drawing is a study of several different creatures. On the left are the long legs of a bird, paired with strange rectangular wings which have a mechanistic look. The shape at the top is a schematic drawing of a bird's body with a horizontal line to represent outstretched wings. Extending below the body is a long shape which looks like the segmented body of a bee. To the bottom right is a pair of swans. Beuys's interest in the swan can be traced back to his childhood, when he was told medieval legends involving swans and could see the sculpture of a golden swan on the roof of a castle from his bedroom window.</p>

Online caption
2009-04-16T00:00:00
online-caption
ONLINE_CAPTION
abstraction animals: birds animals: insects & lower animals bee bird - non-specific figure from recognisable sources swan