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Scottish Ballad

Scottish Ballad

Artist (Aberdeen, Washington State, USA, 1915 - 1991)
Date1990
Mediumacrylic with collage on canvas
ClassificationsPaintings And Drawings
DimensionsHeight: 91.44 cm, Width: 60.96 cm
Frame Size: 107 × 76.5 × 4.4cm
AcquisitionPurchased in 1996 with assistance from the National Fund for Acquisitions, the National Art Collections Fund and the Friends of Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums.
Copyright© Dedalus Foundation, Inc. /VAGA at ARS, NY and DACS, London 2021
LocationOn Display - Gallery 17
Object numberABDAG012054
Keywords
About MeThe American Abstract Expressionist Robert Motherwell was the child of Scottish and Irish parents and he retained links with Scotland throughout his career. 'Scottish Ballad' was inspired by the sheet music for 'Old Fisherman', a book of songs by Francis George Scott.

Motherwell first experimented with collage in 1946. He particularly liked to include sheets of music, though the musical content was for him, of far less importance than the physical nature and appearance of the paper. 'Most of the papers I use in my collages are random' recalled Motherwell, 'even the sheet music. In fact, I don't read music. I look at printed music as calligraphy, as beautiful details'.

More About Me
Despite the sheet music being placed in the centre of this collage, the artist says that the song does not have any special significance. He is more interested in the aesthetics of the sheet music.
Exhibitions

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