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Metadata
Artist |
Roman, Shirley |
Object Name |
Etching |
Title |
Maelstrom |
Date |
ca. early 1970s |
Medium |
Aquatint etching |
Edition |
AP |
Dimensions |
24 1/16 x 20 3/16 in. (paper) 21 5/8 x 17 3/4 in. (image) |
Accession Number |
2240.0.0 |
Credit line |
Gift of Leona Kroll |
About This Work |
Shirley Roman, born Shirley Nadel in 1919, lived with her husband, Seymour Roman (1912-1989), in New York. There is no record of her formal art training, though some sources state that she studied under Ruth Leaf (1923-2015), a pioneer in etching, who trained at Atelier 17. Leaf taught in Long Island and her essential 1976 book, Intaglio Printmaking Techniques, includes a full-color reproduction of one of Roman's etchings. Roman primarily depicted seascapes, creating rich textures, patterns and colors in her etchings. Maelstrom, Secret Pool and Cascade, all from about the early 1970s, display her technical skill at rendering color gradations and pattern, as evinced, for example, in the fine lines and delicate grays of the latter work. Her depictions of water, air and land utilize complex textures and delicate forms intended to evoke emotional responses. Roman described herself as ". . . fascinated by the moods and patterns created by clouds and sea. . . . I am interested in reaffirming the beauty around us when so much in the world has been made ugly." Roman was also a member of Graphic Eye Gallery, in Port Washington, New York, one of several artist cooperatives formed and comprised primarily of women in that Long Island town in the 1970s. In 1976, one of its members described the gallery's significance, telling The New York Times: "There are many women artists living in the Port Washington area and they didn't have the time to run to New York for their art and get back home in time to cook dinner for the family." Roman was active with the gallery until relocating to Madison, Wisconsin, in 1995. Unlisted: Underappreciated Women Artists from the Permanent Collection, May 28-October 2, 2022, exhibition label. |
Legal Status |
The artist or artist's estate retains all copyrights to their work. |