{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O117354"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O117354/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EU9381/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EU9381/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011EU9381","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O117354","accessionNumber":"E.258-1994","objectType":"Print","titles":[{"title":"The Owl ","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"Poet and scholar Walter Strachan (1903-1994) was fascinated by the art of the book. His interest was inspired by a visit to an exhibition of artists’ books at the National Gallery in London in May 1945. In due course he wrote many articles on the subject, as well as a major reference work, <i>The Artist and the Book in France</i> (published 1969); he also encouraged successive Keepers of the National Art Library at the V&A “to buy them for England.” To this end he visited France every year, to meet the artists, and acquired proof pages to illustrate his articles and to show to potential purchasers of the books, including the V&A. Over the years he amassed a collection of images of owls; some of these were illustrations from livres d’artistes, and others were designed especially for him as gifts or greetings. The collection of owls began with a visit to the artist Roger Chastel (1897-1981) in 1952, where he witnessed the printing of <i>Le Bestiaire de Paul Eluard</i>. In a subsequent article (“Genesis and Growth of a Collection”, for <i>Connoisseur</i>, 1972) he explained: “My article on Chastel’s <i>Bestiaire</i> had the happy result of bringing me a special print on Auvergne paper of the owl which I had admired in the book. Contacts in the art-world of Paris are close and friendly, and I was marked down as an owl-man, in consequence of which I have gradually been given dedicated owl prints and originals in every medium from pen and ink to enamel…”\r\n\r\nThis image of an owl was made by painter and printmaker Michael Rothenstein (1908-1993). An important figure in British printmaking, from the mid-1950s he was active in the Parisian printmaking scene, where Strachan had many artistic contacts. Rothenstein turned wholly to printmaking in 1954, setting up a workshop with a second-hand printing press. Inspired by illustrator Edward Bawden (1903-1989), he first produced colour woodcuts and linocuts, until he went to Paris in 1957. Here, he worked with innovative British printmaker Stanley William Hayter (1901-1988) at the influential workshop Atelier 17 and also became inspired by the screenprints of American pop artist Robert Rauschenberg. He began to use found objects such as wood and metal debris, and combined photographic work with his wood and linocuts.","physicalDescription":"Linocut of an owl. The owl is black with grey and white highlights and is set against a pale mottled grey and white background.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Rothenstein, Michael","id":"A16306"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"linoleum-block printing","id":"AAT60720"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Linocut","categories":[{"text":"Images Online","id":"THES48937"},{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2011EU9381"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLE","id":"THES49657"},"free":"","case":"MP","shelf":"55","box":"A"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"print","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1956-7","earliest":"1956-01-01","latest":"1957-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Walter Strachan","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"62.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"printed surface","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"43.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"printed surface","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"68.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"sheet","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"48.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"sheet","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Artist's proof  Michael Rothenstein","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Artist signature inscribed in pencil, lower right."},{"content":"'Artist's proof'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed in pencil lower left."}],"objectHistory":"This forms part of a collection of prints, drawings and paintings of owls bequeathed to the V&A by Walter Strachan (1903-1994). Strachan, a scholar and collector of Livres d'Artistes, became friendly with a large number of artists, who, on hearing that he had a fondness for owls, began sending him images to add to his collection.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Linocut, Owl, by Michael Rothenstein, ca. 1950-1960.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"Reason For Production: Private","productionType":{"text":"Unique","id":"THES48864"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"owls","id":"x30399"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["E.258-1994"],"accessionNumberNum":"258","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1994,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2005-09-29","availableToBook":false}}