Psalm 142
c. 1957
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
woodcut in black on light brown paper
Classification
Portfolio
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Philip Hofer in memory of Charles Hofer III
Accession Number
1974.107.14
Art Historical Context
Psalm 142, a striking woodcut created around 1957 by American artist Charles Knowles, captures the introspective depth of the biblical psalm through bold contrasts of black ink on light brown paper.cuts, one of the oldest printmaking techniques, involve carving an image into a wooden block, inking the raised surfaces, and pressing it onto paper. This method lends Knowles's work its dramatic, textured lines and graphic intensity, evoking a sense of raw emotion suited to the psalm's theme of lament and supplication—traditionally attributed to King David hiding in a cave. Printed in the mid-20th...