Lute and Molecules 1958

Lute and Molecules is a large screenprinted and hand painted still life on paper depicting a stringed wooden instrument alongside models of molecular structures. The underlying screenprinted section of the work provides the outlines of these shapes in an intricate graphic design in fine black line. In the top left corner, a ball-and-stick molecule model is shown, comprising a series of filled black circles, representing atoms, linked by thin straight lines, representing chemical bonds. Beneath this appears a small cross-section diagram of a molecule, showing similar circular atoms with swirling outlines. These motifs are partly covered by the lute, which stretches the width of the print. The neck and pegbox of the instrument fill the left of the composition, joining the rectangular soundboard that dominates the right, with its delicately rendered strings, frets, bridge and a sound hole with an ornate grille. The black outlines of the lute and molecules are overlaid with watercolour paint that has been applied in an imprecise manner. A dark blue-grey wash covers a large rectangular section around the molecules, with two of the atoms coloured dark blue and two bright yellow. Dark brown paint roughly overlays the whole image of the lute, except for the sound hole, which is painted a deep blue. The work is inscribed with the artist’s name in the bottom right corner.