Players Dracula Decimo
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
lithograph (stone) in black on Magnani Italia paper
Dimensions
image: 11.5 x 11.3 cm (4 1/2 x 4 7/16 in.) sheet: 13.9 x 13.3 cm (5 1/2 x 5 1/4 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Dorothy J. and Benjamin B. Smith
Accession Number
1983.18.280
Art Historical Context
Billy Al Bengston's *Players Dracula Decimo*1968) is a striking lithograph created using traditional stone lithography in black ink on fine Magnani Italia paper. Measuring just 11.5 x 11.3 cm, this intimate print invites close viewing, showcasing the artist's mastery of the medium's tactile precision. Bengston, a key figure in California's "Cool School" alongside artists like Ed Ruscha, drew directly on the lithographic stone, allowing for rich tonal variations and crisp lines that capture subtle textures. Part of Bengston's *Players* series, this work playfully nods to consumer culture—likel...
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 ...