Plate VII from The Temptation of Saint Antony I-XIV

About this artwork

**Plate VII from *The Temptation of Saint I-XIV*** Tim Rollins + K.O.S., 1989 Discover Plate VII, a captivating entry in this portfolio of 14 aquatints by Tim Rollins and the Kids of Survival (K.O.), his collaborative group of young artists from New York's South Bronx. Created in 1989, the series draws inspiration from Gustave Flaubert's 19th-century novella *The Temptation of Anthony*, which explores the saint's hallucinatory visions of temptation, desire, and faith. Rollins + K.O.S. transformed this literary classic into visual narratives, blending storytelling with social commentary on urban youth experiences during the vibrant, challenging New York art scene of the late 1980s. This intricate print employs aquatint—a printmaking technique prized for its rich tonal gradients and painterly effects—layered on xerograph-printed chine collé (a delicate Chinese paper adhered to sturdy wove Lana Gravure support). The modest plate size (21.4 x 13.6 cm) contrasts with the expansive sheet (56.5 x 37.8 cm), inviting intimate study of ethereal forms amid larger compositional space. As part of a gifted portfolio to the National Gallery of Art from printmaking pioneer Kathan Brown, it exemplifies Rollins + K.O.S.'s democratic approach: empowering underserved kids to engage high art, bridging literature, print traditions, and community resilience. (198 words)