Not on display
- Artist
- Reg Butler 1913–1981
- Medium
- Graphite, crayon and watercolour on paper
- Dimensions
- Support: 267 x 197 mm
frame: 500 x 947 x 32 mm - Collection
- Tate
- Acquisition
- Presented by the Contemporary Art Society 1957
- Reference
- A01062
Display caption
These drawings were made as preliminary sketches for Butler's monument to 'The Unknown Political Prisoner', a tower designed to commemorate those who had been imprisoned or lost their lives in the cause of freedom. The drawings represent the heads of three women, described by the artist as witnesses who remember the prisoner. Butler envisaged that the viewer would be 'drawn by their gaze into contemplation of the upper vastness of the tower.'
Gallery label, September 2004
Does this text contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? We would like to hear from you.
Explore
- abstraction(9,911)
-
- from recognisable sources(4,516)
-
- figure(2,276)
- actions: expressive(2,655)
-
- grimacing(77)
- looking up(125)
- looking / watching(582)
- woman(9,056)
- head / face(2,549)
- government and politics(3,357)
- freedom(180)
- persecution(99)
You might like
-
Reg Butler Study for Head of Watcher
1951–2 -
Reg Butler Study for Head of Watcher
1951–2 -
Reg Butler Working Model for ‘The Unknown Political Prisoner’
1955–6 -
Reg Butler Third Maquette for ‘The Unknown Political Prisoner’
1951–2 -
Reg Butler First Maquette for ‘The Unknown Political Prisoner’
1951–2 -
Reg Butler Final Maquette for ‘The Unknown Political Prisoner’
1951–2 -
Reg Butler Musée Imaginaire
1961–3 -
Reg Butler Figure in Space
1962–3 -
Reg Butler Circe Head
1952–3 -
Reg Butler Girl
1953–4 -
Reg Butler Woman
1949 -
Reg Butler Woman
1949 -
Reg Butler Study for Woman Resting
1950 -
Reg Butler Girl
1968–9 -
Reg Butler Tower
1968–9