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The frog and border of the composition were contributed by Price, who is primarily a sculptor-ceramist and who has used the frog motif in a series of ceramic cups.

The Art Center print exemplifies Ruscha's innate sense of placement and design with its swirling circles and semicircles of carefully drawn flies which form a subtle and delightful pattern against the flat, white background. Price's whimsical red frog at the lower right corner seems to be gloating over the prospect of an ample dinner of these insects trapped within the dark-blue border surrounding the composition.

Number 39 in an edition of 40 prints.

Source: Bulletin, May-June 1971.


Exhibition History"Critters," Des Moines Art Center, Des Moines, IA

"Styles of the Times: The 1960s," Des Moines Art Center, Des Moines, Iowa, May 1 - June 28, 1998
Published ReferencesWIE LERNE ICH ZEICHNEN, by Lu Bro, pub. by DuMont Buchverlag, Cologne, 1983, repro. p. 279, fig. 27.1

DRAWING, A STUDIO GUIDE, by Lu Bro, pub. by W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., N.Y., 1978, fig. no. 27.1, repro. p. 265 (repro. vertically)

"Gallery Guide" for the "Critters" Exhibition
DimensionsSheet: 23 1/8 × 34 in. (58.7 × 86.4 cm)
Image: 18 3/8 × 30 5/8 in. (46.7 × 77.8 cm)
Accession Number 1970.31
Classificationsprint
InscriptionsRuscha 1969 Price '69 (L/R sheet, pencil) Copperplate Deluxe 2503 (L/C/R, pencil) 39/40 (L/C/R, pencil)
Edition39/40
Frog and Flies
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines
Photo Credit: Rich Sanders, Des Moines