Joseph Beuys

White Woman in the Grass (Fairy)

1954

Not on display

Artist: Joseph Beuys 1921–1986
Original title: Weisse Frau in Gras (Fairy)
Medium: Graphite and watercolour on card
Dimensions: Support: 193 x 122 mm
frame: 673 x 540 x 29 mm
Collection: Tate / National Galleries of Scotland
Acquisition: ARTIST ROOMS Acquired jointly with the National Galleries of Scotland through The d'Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Art Fund 2008
Reference: AR00101

Online caption

In his drawings, Joseph Beuys often makes connections between humans, our environment and primitive rituals. By referring to the female figure in this drawing as a 'fairy', the artist makes reference to folklore. Beuys was greatly knowledgeable about German folk customs but he was equally interested in shamanism and the tribal magic of other cultures. His use of colour is always deliberate and significant, and in this drawing, he has suggested the woman's connection to nature by surrounding her with green grass. His use of watercolour as a medium also ties in with his depictions of women as fluid and connected with water.