7. Orpheus 1978 - 1979

Editor: This is Graham Sutherland's "7. Orpheus", an etching. The simple lines and odd figures give it such an eerie quality. What can you tell me about it? Curator: The printmaking process itself is key. Sutherland's choice of etching—a labor-intensive method involving acid, metal plates, and a press—speaks to a certain investment in the handmade, resisting the industrialization of art production. How might this relate to the Orpheus myth, you think? Editor: Maybe it connects to Orpheus's skill, the intensive practice needed to master an instrument and touch the emotions of the world around him? Curator: Precisely! Consider the social context too. Post-war Britain saw a resurgence of interest in craft, a kind of making-do with limited resources. This print, with its slightly unsettling imagery and laborious creation, reflects that complex landscape. Editor: That makes me think about the contrast between the figures and their environment. Thanks for pointing that out. Curator: Always a pleasure to consider process and context!