Principalities VI
1966
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
lithograph (stone) in ochre and black on J. Green paper
Dimensions
sheet: 31.2 x 28 cm (12 5/16 x 11 in.)
Classification
Portfolio
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Dorothy J. and Benjamin B. Smith
Accession Number
1983.18.737.8
Art Historical Context
**Principalities VI** (1966) by Ynez Johnston is a striking lithograph from the National Gallery of Art's collection, gifted by Dorothy J. and Benjamin B. Smith. This intimate work, measuring 31.2 x 28 cm on J. Green paper, employs a restrained palette of ochre and black to evoke mystery and depth. As the sixth in a series titled *Principalities*, it hints at ethereal or hierarchical themes, possibly drawing from mystical or cosmic motifs common in Johnston's oeuvre. Johnston, a pioneering American printmaker active in the mid-20th century, was renowned for her innovative lithography, blendin...
About the Artist
Ynez Johnston
Ynez Johnston (1920–2019) was an American artist celebrated for her richly textured printmaking and painting that drew on a wide range of cultural sources — from pre-Columbian art and Asian calligraphy to the landscapes of Mexico and California. Born in Berkeley, California, she studied at the University of California, Berkeley, where she later taught, and went on to build a career that spanned mo...