Claire Van Vliet: Illustrating Babel

In The Tower of Babel: An Anthology, 1975, Claire Van Vliet (American, born Canada, b. 1933) observes the human condition by examining the origin of language. This unbound book of seventeen lithographs and one woodcut – on display for the first time – is shown alongside two prints by Käthe Kollwitz (1867-1945), whose expressive prints serve as inspiration for Van Vliet. In this series of prints, dramatic images of architecture and portraiture exemplify Van Vliet’s skill as a printmaker, while an overarching theme of human behavior connects the Biblical messages to the present day.