Title

Two cockatoos [by Murray Griffin].

Author

Bunbury, Alisa.

Source

[Not applicable]

Publication date

1998

Type

About the work

Language

English

Country of context

Australia

Full text

Two cockatoos.

Two cockatoos presents an interesting juxtaposition of carefully and beautifully worked tones within the birds, and broad abstracted curves of the sky and thickly applied clouds. There is a similarity in pose to the 1933 print, The white one [cat.26], although sketches in preparation for this work have been located in a late sketchbook. Unlike many of the later bird prints, the cockatoos appear to be in their natural environment, rather than against a token background. Griffin is said to have called this print Fighting cocks and thought it to be one of his best bird prints, although there seems to be little evidence of aggression.

© Alisa Bunbury, 1998.