Magnify/Collect:
Artist:
T. Smith
Title:
Swan Song
Price:
Year:
2006
Medium:
Size - (USA):
36 W x 24 H x 2 D (inches)
Size - (metric):
91.4 W x 61.0 H x 5.1 D (centimeters)
Theme:
Edition:
Original
Artwork ID:
240985
PDF Copy:
Artwork Description:
The setting of this small landscape is the Valley of Fire outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, a beautiful and austere environment of a natural rock bridge over a brilliant blue cloudless sky. The only occupant in this fiery red landscape is a large white swan who sits in the middle of the barren red desert with no water in sight. He is there for his own reasons. The birds graceful neck and body shape are echoed in the expanse of rock bridging the valley and the enfolded lines of his feathers harmonize with the reticulated embedded crevices in the rocks. The title references ancient Greek legend, which held that the swan was mute throughout its lifetime, but sang the most beautiful and haunting song just before it died. The symbology and mythology of the swan is multi-faceted embodying light, hermaphroditism, femininity, intuition, self-transformation, gracefulness, beauty, and the marriage of opposites of fire and water, especially relevant in this painting.
Artwork Keywords:
Original Painting
