Name/Title
The LetterEntry/Object ID
2025.15.02Description
An etching of various connected rectangular shapes with designs in each shape.Context
Dorthy Dehner was an abstract expressionist whose wide-ranging practice encompassed engraving, painting, drawing, and sculpture. Her work reflects the influence of her extensive travels and close study of natural forms, as seen in her drawing Bird of Peace (1946). She often celebrated the vitality and energy of the natural world, while many pieces from this period also alluded to tensions within her marriage. Following her divorce from sculptor David Smith in 1952, Dehner began to experiment more fully with sculpture. Working in bronze, wood, and steel, she created abstract forms that maintained a strong connection to nature. Her sculptural language explored themes of movement and transformation, often incorporating totemic elements that echoed mythological or spiritual iconography.Acquisition
Accession
2025.15Source or Donor
Sharon GilbertAcquisition Method
GiftCredit Line
Gift of the Howard N. Gilbert FamilyEdition
Edition Size
20Edition Number
6Inscription/Signature/Marks
Type
SignatureLocation
Front bottomTranscription
The Letter / 6/20 / '53 / Dorothy DehnerMaterial/Technique
PencilType
LabelLocation
Verso, centerTranscription
Dorothy Dehner / "The Letter" Etching / (Atelier 17) 6/20 1953 / Dehner - 140 $1200Language
EnglishMaterial/Technique
PenLexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Tertiary Object Term
EtchingNomenclature Secondary Object Term
Print, IntaglioNomenclature Primary Object Term
PrintNomenclature Sub-Class
Graphic DocumentsNomenclature Class
Documentary ObjectsNomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication ObjectsGetty AAT
Concept
Abstract (modern European style), European, Expressionist (style)Hierarchy Name
Styles and Periods (hierarchy name)Facet
Styles and Periods FacetLOC Thesaurus for Graphic Materials
Abstract works, NatureDimensions
Dimension Description
FramedHeight
16-3/4 inWidth
18-1/2 in