Madonna II
Title
Madonna II
Creator
Elizabeth S. Catlett
Date
1991
Format
Color screenprint on wove paper
Artist's proof, aside from the edition of 99.
Signed, titled, dated and numbered AP 10/24 in white pencil, lower left
Blind stamp: Printed by Stovall Print Workshop Inc., Washington, DC
Artist's proof, aside from the edition of 99.
Signed, titled, dated and numbered AP 10/24 in white pencil, lower left
Blind stamp: Printed by Stovall Print Workshop Inc., Washington, DC
Label
Womanhood, marriage, motherhood, and family are themes consistently found in Catlett’s work. Her exploration of these subjects began early in her career: Her final MFA thesis sculpture of a mother and child earned first prize at the American Negro Exposition in Chicago in 1940. Catlett repeated the theme of motherhood in both printmaking and sculpture, borrowing elements from African art and pre-Columbian forms, and depicting women of color as dedicated, protective maternal figures. The composition and gold background of Madonna II also references medieval and Renaissance religions images of the Madonna and Child, reinforcing the universality of the theme.
Credit Line
Museum Purchase made possible in part by a generous gift from Jane Joel Knox, 2020.30.2
Citation
Elizabeth S. Catlett, “Madonna II,” Museums at Washington and Lee University: Online Exhibits, accessed May 15, 2024, https://exhibits-museums.omeka.wlu.edu/items/show/386.