Dine's conception of the Glyptotek project began with a literary reference: "I knew from the start I wanted to include Sappho." This drawing of the seventh-century-B.C.. poet is one of the earliest in the series. The sheet is more heavily worked and detailed, especially around the eyes and in the profile. As the series progressed, Dine abandoned this approach and his marks became more gestural.
This is the only sheet in the series that includes text, which appears backward owing to the printing process. The composition is reversed on both the drawing and the printing plate; the inked printing plate transfers the image to the final sheet and inverts it.
Jim Dine (b. 1935), Glyptotek Drawing 10, Charcoal, enamel paint, and india ink on paper, Photograph courtesy of The Pace Gallery. © 2011 Jim Dine / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York