Artwork
Quadrature of the Circle X
Quadrature of the Circle X is a print by Sumi Perera. It dates from 2010 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
If you like this painting, you might want to learn more about Sumi Perera, the artist who created it.
This painting shows a black and white circle in the middle, with a red line going through it. The circle has a rough edge and looks like it's made of different pieces put together. There's some writing around the circle, but it's hard to read.
The painting is called "Quadrature of the Circle X" and was made by Sumi Perera in 2010. It's a print, which means it's a copy of an original artwork. The painting is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum's collection.
If you like this painting, you might want to learn more about Sumi Perera, the artist who created it.
Overview
Created in 2010, *Quadrature of the Circle X* is an open-bite acid etching and aquatint by Sumi Perera. The composition centers on a dark, irregular tubular shape set against a deep black ground, bordered by a wide white margin. A single red circle cuts through both the etched field and the border’s lower right corner. The work is signed, titled, and numbered by the artist, affirming its status as a limited print.
Subject & Meaning
The title references the ancient geometric problem of constructing a square equal in area to a given circle using only compass and straightedge—an impossibility proven in the 19th century. Perera’s fragmented, hand-drawn circle and disrupted border suggest a tension between idealized form and material imperfection, evoking the futility and persistence of human attempts to reconcile abstract ideals with physical reality.
Technique & Style
Perera employed open-bite etching and aquatint to achieve rich tonal contrasts and textured surfaces. The central form appears assembled from irregular, almost collage-like segments, with rough edges suggesting manual intervention. The red circle, sharply defined against the muted tones, introduces a disruptive focal point. Handwritten inscriptions surround the form, legible only in fragments, adding a layer of obscured narrative.
History & Provenance
The print entered the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London following its creation in 2010. It is one of a limited edition, each impression individually signed and numbered by the artist. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s interest in contemporary printmaking that engages with historical mathematical and philosophical themes through material experimentation.
Context
Perera’s work emerged during a period of renewed interest in printmaking as a medium for conceptual inquiry. *Quadrature of the Circle X* aligns with broader artistic explorations of geometry, impossibility, and the limits of representation in late 20th- and early 21st-century art. The piece engages with intellectual traditions while resisting didactic interpretation, favoring ambiguity and tactile presence.
Legacy
The work contributes to Perera’s ongoing exploration of mark-making as a means to interrogate systems of knowledge. Its inclusion in the V&A’s collection situates it within institutional narratives of print as a vehicle for intellectual and material inquiry. While not widely reproduced, it remains a significant example of contemporary etching that bridges historical symbolism with abstract formalism.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sumi Perera’s prints play with geometry and memory, turning simple shapes into layered visual puzzles.
