Graham Vivian Sutherland - La Puce

This striking etching and aquatint by Graham Vivian Sutherland presents a surreal, almost unsettling vision rendered with his characteristic blend of precision and poetic intensity. Against a vivid red background, the enlarged insect figure—both symbolic and metamorphic—echoes Sutherland’s fascination with the hidden, often disquieting energies of nature. The composition combines delicacy and tension, inviting the viewer into a world where the organic becomes emblematic.

What makes this impression particularly unique is the presence of a handwritten dedication in place of the usual edition number. Instead of belonging to a standard numbered series, this sheet was personally inscribed by the artist, making it an exceptional and intimate example within Sutherland’s graphic work.

Graham Vivian Sutherland is internationally celebrated as one of the foremost British artists of the twentieth century. His ability to transform natural forms into psychological and symbolic landscapes earned him global recognition, strengthened by major institutional commissions and his influential role in post-war art. This rare dedicated print stands as a testament to his expressive power and to the personal relationships that shaped parts of his artistic journey.