Friday, November 28, 2025

Gene Davis

Gene Davis
Parachute
1952
ink and wash on paper
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC


Gene Davis
Stripes
1957
oil on canvas
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Gene Davis
Triple Jump
1962
oil and acrylic on canvases
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Gene Davis
Two-Part Blue
1964
acrylic on canvas
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Gene Davis
Hot Beat
1964
acrylic on canvas
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Gene Davis
Flower Machine
1964
acrylic on canvas
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Gene Davis
Black Grey Beat
1964
acrylic on canvas
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Gene Davis
Raspberry Icicle
1967
acrylic on canvas
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Gene Davis
Dr Peppercorn
1967
acrylic on canvas
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Gene Davis
Jack-in-the-Box
1969
screenprint
Smithsonian American Art Museum,
Washington DC

Gene Davis
Yo-Yo
1969
screenprint
Smithsonian American Art Museum,
Washington DC

Gene Davis
Signal
1973
screenprint
Smithsonian American Art Museum,
Washington DC

Gene Davis
Mostly Mozart
1975
screenprint
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Gene Davis
King Kong
1976
screenprint
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Gene Davis
Bullet Proof
1976
screenprint
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Gene Davis
Looking Glass
1983
acrylic on canvas
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

Gene Davis
Happiness
1983
graphite and crayon on paper
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC

from The Consolation of Philosophy

Thise tyraunts putte hem gladly nat in pres
No places wildnesse ne no busshes for to winne,
Ther poverte is, as seith Diogenes,
Ther as vitaile is ek so skars and thinne
That noght but mast or apples is therinne;
But ther as bagges ben and fat vitaile,
Ther wol they gon, and spare for no sinne
With al her ost the cite forto asayle.

Yit was no paleis-chaumbres ne non halles;
In caves and wodes softe and swete
Slepten this blissed folk withoute walles
On gras or leves in parfyt joy and quiete.
Ne doun of fetheres ne no bleched shete
Was kid to them, but in seurtee they slepte.
Hir hertes were al oon withoute galles;
Everich of hem his feith to other kepte.

Unforged was the hauberk and the plate;
The lambish peple, voyded of alle vyce,
Hadden no fantasye to debate,
But ech of hem wolde other wel cheryce.
Ne pryde, non envye, non avaryce,
No lord, no taylage by no tyranye;
Humblesse and pees, good feith the emperice.

Yit was not Jupiter the likerous,
That first was fader of delicacye,
Come in this world; ne Nembrot, desirous
To regne, had nat maad his toures hye.
Allas, allas, now may men wepe and crye
For in oure dayes nis but covetyse,
Doublenesse, and tresoun, and envye,
Poyson and manslawtre and mordre in sondry wyse.

– Boethius (AD 476-524), translated by Geoffrey Chaucer (1390)