Collage was an important part of Louise Nevelson's practice. The process mirrored her approach in sculpture; taking disparate elements and assembling or uniting them into a complex whole. 

Similar to her American contemporaries, Nevelson delved into printmaking. She worked with the leading printing studios in America adopting new techniques while expanding her aesthetic and oeuvre considerably. 

This collage was the final maquette that would be screenprinted becoming "Lullaby for Jumbo" (from "Façade: In Homage to Edith Sitwell") Nevelson worked with , which had opened in 1962 and was a just a stone's through from her 11th Street home studio.

The works in this series were dedicated to the British poet Edith Sitwell who passed away in 1964. Sitwell had published a book of abstract poems titled Façade, the poems' rhythms were counterparts to music set by the famed English composer, William Walton. Façades became a form of entertainment as Sitwell's poems would be read aloud to Walton's music, ultimately being made into a ballet. 

Drawing inspiration from her favourite Sitwell poems, Nevelson created stunning photo collages of her own sculptures. These maquettes were then silkscreened onto paper, creating a mixture of abstraction and still life, mirroring the merging of poetry and music of Sitwell's Façade's.

This particular maquette has a few variations from the final print. Most notably the orientation changes and of course Nevelson's hand-written notes vanish. "Jumbo" is also the only work in the series that appears on this vibrant yellow background. This bold primary color is an anomaly in Nevelson's world. 

This piece presents are a rare opportunity to acquire an iconic collage by Nevelson at an affordable and accessible price. 

Questions about this piece? Contact us or call 1.416.704.1720

"Lullaby for Jumbo" (from "Façade: In Homage to Edith Sitwell")

USA, 1966

Collage and screenprint maquette on yellow wove paper

23.75”H 17.5”W (work)

25.5"H 20"W (framed)

Framed with museum glass

Very good condition

Provenance: the Collection of , New York.