She Wolf by Jackson Pollock

This primeval theme points to the artist's influences from pre-historic art

Prior to experimenting with his well known dripping method, Pollock created some pieces traditionally. One in his early collection is the She-Wolf painting, which was created using oil, gouache and plaster on canvas.

Pollock himself stated, "She Wolf came into existence because I had to paint it." His general attitude towards this specific piece was an overall reluctance to discuss any meaning behind the painting.

This has not stopped critics everywhere from trying to dissect the painting.

The primeval theme comes across quite strongly in She Wolf. Pollock, like so many other artists, explored this theme in the 1940's as the world struggled with global crisis.

Created before his 'drip style' period, She Wolf highlights, what many people believe to be, mythological themes. The wolf in the painting has been compared to the myth of the city Rome's birth; in which the animal suckled the twin founders, Romulus and Remus.

His overall surrealism and ideology of the unconscious is clearly seen in the traces of multi-coloured washes and splatters. Even before his famous drip, he showed some methods of free-form abstraction.

The She-Wolf is drawn in heavy black and white lines while the body is overlaid with many abstract lines and swirls. The somber palette and overall dark nature of the piece, shows that period of time was affected by war and death.

The dark nature of this piece of art is clearly visible. Pollock demonstrated the mythological elements in this piece, making She Wolf one of the more dramatic pieces in his repertoire and also his first artwork to enter a museum collection.