Green Sphinx Etching by John Marx

In this polychrome etching, signed with his initials in pencil, John Marx constructs a scene that oscillates between strangeness and collective introspection. The winged, sphinx-like creature dominates the space, perched atop a group of buildings, its outstretched wings suggesting it is on the verge of flight yet still tethered to the earth, asserting its authority. Its body, scratched with incisive lines, evokes both a mythological entity and a nightmarish figure.

The green sky with watercolor-like hues, studded with stars, contrasts with the denser, linear earth of the buildings. A galaxy swirls in the background, reminding us of human smallness in the face of cosmic immensity. The trees, though stylized, exude a tropical lightness, softening the scene without dissipating its aura of mystery.

The distribution of elements in the picture space reveals a strong narrative intent. The creature, perched on a group of sober, geometric buildings, stands out as a being both present and foreign, while the human figures, all turned towards it, reinforce a dramatic, questioning tension.

The three figures - two men and a woman - arranged diagonally, observe the creature with expressions combining amazement and fascination. Their simple, eloquent faces convey a silent quest for meaning. Their gazes, directed at the entity, underline the strange dialogue between the mundane and the inexplicable.

This work seems to explore the theme of the confrontation between the human and the unknown. The creature, at once frightening and static, acts as a metaphor for a higher challenge: understanding our place in a universe where the familiar and the fantastic coexist. Like the galaxy that dominates the sky, it opens up a field of interpretation where the cosmic, the instinctive, and the human intertwine. Here, John Marx delivers a dreamlike, meditative scene where the beauty of the strange reminds us that, as Kafka wrote, “truth is always absurd up close.”

REFERENCE NUMBER: LU654315627382
PERIOD: 1970s
CONDITION: Good
MEASUREMENTS: Height: 14.25" Width: 15.75" Depth: 0.66"
COUNT: 1
MATERIAL: Etching
CREATOR: John Marx