Cockatoo AAA Dracula
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
lithograph (zinc and aluminum) in silver-violet, yellow, two grays and orange on uncalendered Rives paper
Dimensions
sheet: 28.6 x 26.7 cm (11 1/4 x 10 1/2 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Dorothy J. and Benjamin B. Smith
Accession Number
1983.18.245
Art Historical Context
**Cockatoo AAA Dracula** (1968) is a vibrant lithograph by Billy Al Bengston, a key figure in California's Cool School and Finish Fetish movements. Created during the late 1960s—a time when printmaking flourished alongside Pop Art and experimental techniques—Bengston's playful title evokes a whimsical fusion of exotic birds and gothic allure, characteristic of his irreverent style. This work exemplifies his shift toward bold, colorful graphics, drawing from his earlier chevron motifs and iris paintings into the realm of fine art prints. Printed on uncalendered Rives paper, which lends a textu...
About the Artist
Billy Al Bengston
Billy Al Bengston, born on June 7, 1934, in Dodge City, Kansas, embodied the sun-soaked, rebellious spirit of postwar Los Angeles after his family relocated there in 1948. His artistic training began at Los Angeles City College in 1952, where he studied ceramics under Bernard Kester. He then pursued painting under Richard Diebenkorn and Saburo Hasegawa at the California College of Arts and Crafts ...