Artwork
Small World
Small World is a print by Dolf Rieser. It dates from 1961 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Small World is a 1961 print by Dolf Rieser, a South African artist active as a painter, printmaker and teacher. The work belongs to the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection and exemplifies Rieser’s later printmaking practice, following his earlier reputation for engraving and his interest in the relationship between art and scientific observation.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents an intricate assemblage of branches and foliage rendered in a dense, almost chaotic network. The composition suggests a study of natural entanglement, inviting viewers to contemplate the complexity and disorder inherent in plant forms rather than offering a single, identifiable subject.
Technique & Style
Rieser employs thin, scratchy lines that intersect and overlap, building up a layered surface reminiscent of a rapid sketch. The palette is dominated by gray and white tones, punctuated by occasional yellow and orange highlights, creating a contrast between muted background and fleeting bursts of color.
History & Provenance
Created in 1961, Small World entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s holdings as part of the institution’s effort to document mid‑twentieth‑century printmaking. The work reflects Rieser’s mature period, after he had published his theoretical text Art and Science, which explored interdisciplinary approaches to visual creation.
Context
Rieser’s practice in the post‑war era combined traditional engraving techniques with experimental line work, aligning him with broader movements that questioned conventional representation. Small World illustrates his shift toward looser, more gestural drawing within the print medium, paralleling contemporary explorations of abstraction and natural forms.
Artist & collection
Artist
Dolf Rieser (1898–1983) was a South African painter, printmaker, and teacher. He illustrated the 1952 edition of Two Tales of the Congo by Joseph Conrad with eight copper engravings. He was the author of Art and Science published in 1972.
