Frank Stella Then Came Death and Took the Butcher, 1984 is the tenth installment in the artist’s Illustrations After El Lissitsky’s Had Gadya Series.
In 1919, Russian avant-garde artist El Lissitzky created a series of gouaches illustrating the traditional Jewish Passover song, Had Gadya (Only Kid). After seeing these artworks in the Tel Aviv Museum in 1981, Stella was fascinated by their movement and vibrancy of the simplified, graphic forms.
This work recalls the post-painterly abstraction known to have influenced Stella with added elements that reflect collage and cut-out effects. Inspired after seeing an exhibition in 1919 by the Russian avant-garde artist El Lissitzky who had created a series of gouaches illustrating the traditional Jewish Passover song, Had Gadya (The Only Kid), Stella created this series. This work is composed of mostly black and white forms that mimic the artist’s Cones and Pillars paintings. Two of these shapes extend beyond the confines of the straight edges of the right and bottom sides of the composition, showcasing the artist’s innovation and restructuring traditional artmaking. Chromatic marks with a hand-drawn quality are placed over the abstract shapes which create movement throughout the work.
Created in 1984, Frank Stella, Then Came Death and Took the Butcher, from Illustrations after El Lissitzky’s Had Gadya, 1984, hand-coloring and collage with lithograph, linocut, silkscreen and rubber relief on T.H. Saunders paper and shaped, hand-cut Somerset paper and shaped, hand-cut Somerset paper is hand-signed by Frank Stella (Massachusetts, 1936 - ) in pencil in the lower center image and numbered from the edition of 60 in pencil in the lower center image.
Frank Stella Had Gadya Series:
American artist Frank Stella is renowned for his significant contributions to the minimalist and abstract expressionist art movements. While he is primarily associated with his minimalist works, Stella has explored various styles and themes throughout his career and artistic journey. One notable series by Frank Stella is the "Gadya" series, which he created in the late 1980s.
Consisting of a group of prints and sculptures, the “Gadya” series draws inspiration from the traditional Jewish Passover song called "Had Gadya," which recounts a fable-like story. Stella's interest in this song and its narrative structure led him to create a body of work that combines abstraction, color, and intricate compositions.
The "Gadya" series marked a departure from Stella's earlier minimalist approach, characterized by simple geometric shapes and monochromatic color palettes. In this series, Stella introduced more organic and curvilinear forms, vibrant colors, and complex layering techniques. The works display a dynamic energy, filled with movement and intricate interplay between shapes and colors.
One prominent aspect of the "Gadya" series is Stella's innovative use of collage and mixed media. He employed various materials such as handmade paper, relief, and metallic paints to create a tactile and textured surface. Stella's exploration of different materials adds depth and dimension to his works, enhancing the overall visual experience.
Each piece in the "Gadya" series showcases Stella's mastery of composition and his ability to create visually captivating arrangements. The works are composed of overlapping shapes, lines, and forms, creating a sense of depth and spatial complexity. Stella's use of bold colors and contrasting hues adds to the visual impact, evoking a vibrant and lively atmosphere.
While the series retains elements of abstraction, it also incorporates figurative and narrative elements. Stella's works reference the characters and themes from the Passover song, though the narratives are fragmented and open to interpretation. The series reflects Stella's interest in exploring the relationship between abstraction and storytelling, bridging the gap between the conceptual and the representational.
Stella's "Gadya" series received critical acclaim and further established his reputation as a versatile and innovative artist. The works were exhibited in various galleries and museums around the world, garnering attention for their vibrant compositions and fusion of abstraction and narrative elements.
This series stands as a testament to Frank Stella's artistic evolution and his ability to push boundaries within his practice. It showcases his willingness to experiment with new techniques, materials, and concepts while remaining true to his artistic vision. The series represents a departure from Stella's minimalist beginnings and demonstrates his ongoing exploration of form, color, and storytelling.
Catalogue Raisonné & COA:
Frank Stella print Then Came Death and Took the Butcher, from Illustrations after El Lissitzky’s Had Gadya, 1984, is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the sale of the work).
1. Axsom, Richard. The Prints of Frank Stella: A Catalogue Raisonné 1967–1984. Hudson Hills Press: New York, 1983. Frank Stella, Then Came Death and Took the Butcher, from Illustrations after El Lissitzky’s Had Gadya, 1984, Listed and illustrated as catalogue raisonné no. 179 on pg. 278.
2. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany our Frank Stella, Then Came Death and Took the Butcher, from Illustrations after El Lissitzky’s Had Gadya, 1984,
Lithograph, linocut, screenprint in colors with collage and hand coloring on T.H. Saunders and Somerset papers
59 x 47-1/4 inches (149.9 x 120 cm) (sheet)
Ed. 21/60 (there were also ten artist's proofs)
Signed, numbered, and dated in pencil lower right
Published by Waddington Graphics
Reference: Reference: Axsom 179
