Pool of Tears 2 (after Lewis Carroll)

Printmaking became an integral part of Smith’s work in the mid-1980s. In her more recent work, Smith has often turned to fairy tales and mythology, searching for female personae, alter egos, and exploring themes of childhood. Currently showcasing in our gallery is “Pool of Tears 2 (after Lewis Carroll)”, a large print based on Lewis Carroll’s manuscript drawings for “Alice’s Adventures Under Ground” (1886). The scene depicts the tension and struggle between Alice and the animals, swimming in a pool of Alice’s own tears. In the sizable print, Smith hoped to produce a representation of the animals as close to life-size as possible, drawing on the largest copper plate U.L.A.E.’s etching press could accommodate.