Morris Graves’s Goats Heroes and Fantasies

Inspired by the special loan of Hero: Portrait of the Irish Celtic Temperament and the museum’s recent acquisition of Irish Goat, this selection of paintings and works on paper showcases Morris Graves’s goat imagery from the 1950s. These animals were of particular interest to Graves during a period of respite in the Irish countryside (1954–64). The landscape and climate in Ireland reminded Graves of his native Pacific Northwest, and he drew from the local livestock, wildlife, and folklore for inspiration. Graves’s images of goats—which ranged from careful studies to imaginative fantasy drawings—reveal his fascination with a commonplace creature.