Artwork
Print Collection
Print Collection is a print by Carol Walklin. It dates from 1988 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
The Print Collection is a work by Carol Walklin. It's a print from 1988.
This print is based on a portrait of Maggie Smith as Lettice in Lettice and Lovage. The portrait is from her performance at the Globe Theatre in 1987.
You can learn more about the techniques used in prints like this one by looking up the technique of sfumato.
Overview
Carol Walklin’s 1988 print captures actress Maggie Smith in the role of Lettice from the stage production Lettice and Lovage. The image is derived from her 1987 performance at the Globe Theatre, presenting a theatrical portrait rendered in print form.
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts Smith’s character Lettice, a witty, aristocratic heroine, reflecting the play’s comedic tone and the actress’s celebrated interpretation. By focusing on a single theatrical moment, the print emphasizes the interplay between performance and visual representation.
Technique & Style
Executed as a print, Walklin’s piece employs tonal gradations reminiscent of the sfumato approach, allowing soft transitions between light and shadow. This method contributes to a subtle atmospheric quality that mirrors the stage lighting of the original production.
History & Provenance
Created a year after the Globe performance, the print entered Walklin’s Print Collection, a series documenting contemporary theatrical figures. It remains part of the collection’s holdings, illustrating the intersection of theatre and visual art in the late 1980s.
Artist & collection
Artist
Carol Walkin had a habit of printing on the train, rolling up proofs in her coat sleeve and pulling them out on station platforms.
