Drawn to the woodcuts prints of late 19th century Edvard Munch (the artist best known for ‘The Scream’), Japanese artist Shiko Munakata and the work of William Blake, John Ryrie establishes himself as an adept storyteller through the medium of printmaking. In ‘Daphne and Apollo’, Ryrie captures the climactic moment of the Greco-Roman myth where the nymph Daphne, fleeing the relentless pursuit of the god Apollo, is transformed into a laurel tree.

The intimacy of clasped hands is inverted by the Ryrie's differing use of colours — a vivid, organic green for Daphne’s transforming hand and a rich brown outlining Apollo's unyielding desire. This contrast transforms an action which, traditionally representative of fondness, becomes a potent symbol of unrequited love. Meditating on the themes of desire and metamorphosis within this myth, Ryrie crafts a subtle but commanding piece of visual poetry.

Ryrie is an esteemed printmaker. He was awarded the Grand Prize in the Silk Cut Award for Linocut Prints and a finalist in the Geelong acquisitive print awards, and is represented at the National Gallery of Australia. For collectors of contemporary prints and visual storytelling, ‘Daphne and Apollo’ is a powerfully thematic work bridging classical myth with contemporary aesthetics.

John RYRIE (1961 - )
'Daphne and Apollo' 2003
linocut on paper
Edition of 40
Image Size: 56 x 48 cm
Dimensions: 56 x 48 cm
Signed: Editioned, titled, signed 'John Ryrie' and dated in margin
Comes with Letter of Provenance

Condition: Excellent

(c) John Ryrie / Copyright Agency