The Brazen Serpent (3) 1998

Editor: So, this is Leon Kossoff’s "The Brazen Serpent (3)." It's hard to pinpoint the date, but Kossoff was active throughout the late 20th century. It looks like an etching. The frenetic lines give it a really chaotic feel. What are your thoughts on how this work interacts with its historical context? Curator: Well, the subject matter itself, drawn from the Book of Numbers, is ripe for historical analysis. Kossoff, working in post-war London, may have been drawn to the story's themes of suffering and redemption. How might its depiction of mass suffering resonate with experiences of the time? Editor: That’s an interesting point. It makes you think about how collective trauma gets represented. Curator: Exactly. And the printmaking medium makes it accessible to a wider audience than a painting might be. Editor: I hadn’t considered that. Thanks, that helps to see it in a new light!