Gertraud Brausewetter
Austria, 1903-1992
Untitled (Adam and Eve), 1918
Woodcut on paper, unnumbered edition
14 ¾ x 15 ¾ in.
Weatherspoon Art Museum, UNC Greensboro. Bequest of Etta and Claribel Cone, 1950.2170

This woodcut depicts the Biblical story when Eve offers Adam a bite of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden. Depicted just prior to being expelled from paradise, the two figures commune harmoniously with a mélange of animals ranging from giraffe, lion, and deer, to birds of all kinds. The image’s profuse detail causes the viewer’s eye to move constantly around the composition, taking in the abundant information put forward by the diverse patterning.

Hans Berthold
Germany, 1884-1929
Pelikane, 1903
Woodcut on paper, unknown edition
6 3/16 x 8 ½ in.
Weatherspoon Art Museum, UNC Greensboro. Museum purchase with funds from the Benefactors Fund, 1976.2302

Although unknown to many contemporary Christians, pelicans served as an important symbol for the love, sacrifice, and afterlife offered by and through Jesus Christ. In fact, during the Middle Ages, the symbol of the pelican feeding its young with three drops of blood from its chest was used in numerous cathedrals. While it is doubtful that Berthold is referencing the atoning sacrifice of Jesus in this image, the birds do appear anthropological with distinct personalities.

Ernst Barlach
Germany, 1870-1938
Riding Urian (the Devil), 1922-23, from Walpurgisnacht (Walpurgis Night)
Woodcut on paper, edition of 120
11 ½ x 9 ⅜ in.
Weatherspoon Art Museum, UNC Greensboro. Museum purchase with funds from the Benefactors Fund, 1976.2362

April 30th is known in Germany as Walpurgis Night – when witches band together to swoop on broomsticks, dance around fires, and revel with the devil to celebrate the end of winter and the start of spring. The holiday’s origins date back to pagan celebrations of fertility rites and the coming of spring. Barlach illustrated this holiday in this woodcut, which once served as an illustration in Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s book Walpurgisnacht (Walpurgis Night). The image consists of a goat leaping from right to left and being ridden by a grotesque figure with one human and several animal heads, along with lobster claws. The figure represents the erudite Faust who has made a pact with the Devil, exchanging his soul for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasures.

Ai Weiwei
China, born 1957
Bird, 2015
Bamboo and silk
14 ½ x 20 x 20 in.
Weatherspoon Art Museum, UNC Greensboro. Museum purchase with funds by exchange from the Gift of Dr. Lenoir C. Wright, 2017.2

From ancient times to the present, birds have been considered both symbols and forecasters of events. This bird’s form might seem familiar since it derives from the icon for the online news and social networking service Twitter. Social media platforms— particularly Instagram, Twitter, and its Chinese equivalent, Weixin—have played a central role in artist Ai Weiwei’s ongoing efforts to draw attention to the grave socio-political injustices that surround us. (See https://twitter.com/aiww.) In addition to Twitter, Weiwei references the custom, style, and materials of traditional Chinese kites.

© Ai Weiwei

Kiki Smith
United States, born Germany, 1954
Two Mirror-Eyed Lambs, 1999
Ink and mirrors on paper
19 ½ x 53 in.
Weatherspoon Art Museum, UNC Greensboro. Museum purchase with funds from the Judy Proctor Acquisition Endowment, 1999.28

Alongside Smith’s abiding interest in the human form has been her engagement with animals as subject matter. In this drawing, her precise rendering of two lambs reinforces the animals’ categorization as gentle, patient, and innocent creatures. The image evokes the concept of the sacrificial lamb, a metaphor derived from Abrahamic religious traditions whereby a person or animal is given up to benefit the common good. The mirrors on the lambs’ eyes also may represent the artist’s interest in the spiritual connections between humans and animals.

© Kiki Smith

Thomas Lawson
Scotland, born 1951
Untitled, 1980
Oil on paper
30 x 22 in.
Weatherspoon Art Museum, UNC Greensboro. Museum purchase with funds from the Dillard Paper Company for the Dillard Collection, 1983.3506

The adjective “hangdog” means to have a dejected or guilty appearance; shamefaced. Most basset hound dogs come in some combination of white, tan, or black and have dark expressive eyes, a wrinkled forehead, and long floppy ears—all of which contribute to a “hangdog” expression. Perhaps in part because of the painting’s nondescript setting, one cannot but wonder why this pooch, mirrored in both corners, appears so forlorn.

© Thomas Lawson

Tom Rankin
United States, born 1957
Burial, Orange County, NC, 2003
Platinum print, edition of 3
25 x 30 in.
Weatherspoon Art Museum, UNC Greensboro. Gift of Emily Kass and Charles Weintraub, 2014.31

Although the lamb in this image appears sleeping rather than dead, it likewise relates to the concept of the sacrificial lamb, a metaphor derived from Abrahamic religious traditions. Rankin is a North Carolina photographer, filmmaker, and folklorist who owns a 61-acre goat farm in rural Orange County. Upon discovering this dead kid, Rankin dug a hole to bury it while children added the surrounding flowers. Both the burial ritual and its documentation suggest peace and timeless grace.

© Tom Rankin