Armadillo (plate, folio 35 verso) from A Bestiary

Michelle Stuart

1990

A linoleum cut printed in an artist’s book in which Michelle Stuart pares the armadillo’s curled form down to a bold, tactile emblem that reads like a fossilized imprint of the animal.

A single black circular motif—concentric ridges and radiating carved lines—sits in the lower-left of a wide, white page, its stark contrast and hand‑cut texture giving the image a quiet, almost fossil‑like presence.

Combining the medieval bestiary tradition with contemporary printmaking and land‑art sensibilities, this artist’s book shows how simple relief carving can translate natural forms into intimate, contemplative objects that reconnect image, text, and material craft.

Palette

Art Terms

Linoleum cut Artist’s book Illustrated book Relief print Figurative Monochrome

Exhibitions

Committed to Print

1988

Original Illustrations of Children's Books

1946

Los Angeles: Selections from the Art Lending Service

1976

Some American Prints, 1949–50, from the Museum Collection

1951