Compostion XI
1962
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View on museum website →Medium
color etching, soft-ground, and aquatint
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1964.8.1268
Art Historical Context
**Composition XI** by Roberto Matta, created in 1962 is a captivating color etching, soft-ground, and aquatint from the National Gallery of Art Rosenwald Collection. Chilean-born Matta, a figure in Surrealism, transitioned from dreamlike paintings to innovative prints in the mid-20th century. work exemplifies his signature style: swirling, biomorphic forms evoking cosmic landscapes and subconscious realms, bridging Surrealism with post-war abstraction. The medium shines here—etching carves precise lines into a metal plate, soft-ground captures delicate textures like fabric impressions, and aq...