IAN HAMILTON FINLAY
PRINTS
Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925–2006) was a Scottish poet, artist, and gardener known for his thought-provoking works that blend language, art, and landscape. His prints, like much of his broader oeuvre, are characterized by a deep engagement with themes of nature, classical references, and the juxtaposition of war and peace.
ARCADIA (WITH GEORGE OLIVER)
1973
PURCHASE
Arcadia, a region in Greece, has long symbolised a pristine, untouched paradise. Ian Hamilton Finlay offers a fresh perspective in this print, contrasting this idyllic vision with the harsh reality of a tank's camouflage, hinting at the disruption of nature's purity.
The piece also nods to the Latin phrase "Et in Arcadia Ego" ("I too was in Arcadia"), a reference to the 17th-century French artist Nicolas Poussin, whose painting shows shepherds discovering a tomb. Like Poussin, Finlay reminds us that even the most peaceful places are not free from the presence of death. Through the lens of modern warfare, his work suggests that no paradise is untouched by mortality.