The Wall
1952
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
etching
Dimensions
Image:365 x 455mm Sheet:395 x 490mm
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Reba and Dave Williams Collection, Gift of Reba and Dave Williams
Accession Number
2008.115.4249
Art Historical Context
"The Wall" is a captivating etching from 1952, created by an unknown artist and now housed in the National Gallery of Art's Reba and Dave Williams Collection. This generous gift highlights the couple's passion for preserving mid-20th-century prints. Measuring 365 x 455 mm (image) on a slightly larger sheet of 395 x 490 mm, the work invites viewers to ponder its enigmatic title amid the post-World War II era—a time of reconstruction, division, and artistic exploration. Etching, as a medium, exemplifies the precision and expressiveness of intaglio printmaking. The artist likely coated a metal p...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...