The Great Heidelburgh Tun
Frank Stella
The Great Heidelburgh Tun
screenprint, lithograph and linocut
1988
An original hand-signed Frank Stella screenprint, lithograph and linocut print.
1988
Screenprint with lithograph and linocut in colors, with hand-coloring and collage on T.H. Sanders Cold Pressed paper.
Hand-signed and dated in pencil lower left F. Stella ’88.
A superb impression of the definitive state, from the edition of 60 (there were 10 additional artist’s proofs and 4 printer’s proofs, for an overall edition of 74), numbered in pencil also lower right. Plate one of six mixed-media prints from The Waves I series, published by Waddington Graphics, London, 1988.
Catalog: Axsom 186.
Sheet Size: 74 3/8 x 54 ½ inches
The Great Heidelberg Tun, is an extremely large wine vat contained within the cellars of Heidelberg Castle. There have been four such barrels in the history of Heidelberg. In 1751, the year of its construction, the present one had a capacity of 221,726 litres (58,573.8125 U.S. gallons). Due to the drying of the wood its current capacity is 219,000 litres (57,853.6795 U.S. gallons). One hundred and thirty oak trees were reputedly used in its construction. It has only rarely been used as a wine barrel, and in fact presently enjoys more use as a tourist attraction, and also as a dance floor since one was constructed on top of the tun.
