print
- Museum number
- 2008,7114.13
- Title
- Object: Acapulco Girl
- Description
-
Indian girl with a coconut palm and village huts in the background. 1932.
Wood-engraving
- Production date
- 1932
- Dimensions
-
Height: 255 millimetres (image)
-
Width: 215 millimetres
-
Width: 230 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- Text from 'Revolution on Paper: Mexican Prints 1910-1960', Dawn Adès and Alison McClean, with the assistance of Laura Campbell, edited by Mark McDonald, BMP, 2009.
'This striking image shows an Indian girl wrapped in a light shawl, standing in front of a large palm tree with a village of small, neatly arranged huts in the background. The broad forms and smooth surfaces of the print suggest the technique of fresco painting with which Cook was experimenting for the first time during his trip to Mexico in 1932. Similar to the aims of the Mexican muralists - particularly Diego Rivera - Cook's depiction of an Indian girl serves to highlight Mexico's often forgotten indigenous cultures. The significance of the rope around her right hand is not obvious but might refer to the hardship of agrarian work.
Made during Cook's visit to Mexico on his first Guggenheim fellowship, 'Acapulco girl' received an Honourable Mention from the Philadelphia Print Club two years later. It is also one of the few examples of wood engraving from this period that demonstrate Cook's particular skill with this technique, while also reflecting his American training.'
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
2009/10 Oct-April, BM, Revolution on Paper: Mexican Prints, cat 69
2010/11 Nov-Feb, Nottingham, Djanogly Gallery, Revolution on Paper
2011 June-Aug, Newcastle, Hatton Gallery, Revolution on Paper
- Acquisition date
- 2008
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 2008,7114.13
