Black Dice

John Baldessari, Black Dice, 1982, color aquatint, photo etching, soft ground and lift ground on paper, sheet: 16 1219 34 in. (41.950.2 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1993.31.1A-I, © 1982, Peter Blum Edition and Blumarts, Inc., New York

Artwork Details

Title
Black Dice
Publisher
Peter Blum Edition
Date
1982
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
sheet: 16 1219 34 in. (41.950.2 cm)
Copyright
© 1982, Peter Blum Edition and Blumarts, Inc., New York
Credit Line
Museum purchase
Mediums Description
color aquatint, photo etching, soft ground and lift ground on paper
Classifications
Subjects
  • Figure male
  • State of being — evil — danger
  • Architecture Interior — commercial — hotel
Object Number
1993.31.1A-I

Artwork Description

Black Dice is based on a still photograph derived from an English gangster film of that name. The photograph represents a split second from a longer, continuous narrative. The artist divided the image into nine equal sections and developed each as an independent abstract composition in which key elements of the original scene remain identifiable. Baldessari is interested in things exploding and imploding, and being disjunctive. He likes to include the original movie still when the prints are exhibited so that the viewer can better understand the individual parts as well as the whole.

Multiplicity, 2011

Works by this artist (4 items)

Tom Nakashima, Sanctuary at Western Sunset, 1992, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Gail and John Enns, 2008.38
Sanctuary at Western Sunset
Date1992
oil on canvas
On view
Tom Nakashima, Great Stick, 1990, handmade paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Gail and John Enns and museum purchase, 1991.68
Great Stick
Date1990
handmade paper
Not on view
Tom Nakashima, Samurai, 1990, two-color etching on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Anton Gallery Partnership, 1991.37.2, © 1990, Tom Nakashima
Samurai
Date1990
two-color etching on paper
Not on view
Tom Nakashima, Cage, 1990, hand-colored etching and photo etching on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Anton Gallery Partnership, 1991.37.1, © 1990, Tom Nakashima
Cage
Date1990
hand-colored etching and photo etching on paper
Not on view

More Artworks from the Collection

Claire Falkenstein, City is Man, 1941-1952, linocut, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.14, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
City is Man
Date1941-1952
linocut
Not on view
Claire Falkenstein, Untitled, 1976, embossed paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.18, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
Untitled
Date1976
embossed paper
Not on view
Claire Falkenstein, Mandala, 1977, lithograph, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Falkenstein Foundation, 2019.27.19, ©1997, The Falkenstein Foundation
Mandala
Date1977
lithograph
Not on view
Nathan Oliveira, Site with Blue and White, 1978, monotype, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Moses Lasky, 2004.32.14
Site with Blue and White
Date1978
monotype
Not on view