‘MICHELE: FLOOD MEMORY AFFAIR’ LITHOGRAPH BY JOANNE PASCHALL (1970s)

An abstracted, arguably surreal, limited edition lithograph in black and gray tones on off-white rag paper, titled Michele: Flood Memory Affair, by Atlanta printmaker JoAnne Paschall. Numbered 4 of 20 and inscribed “To Tommy with love” in the artist’s hand. The subject is certain architectural elements and landscape features of the church of Orsanmichele (Kitchen Garden of St Michael) in Florence, Italy, rendered in a draftsman-like style. Originally built as a grain market in 1337 on the site of San Michele monastery’s vegetable garden, the building was converted into a church sometime between 1380 and 1404. Paschall portrays secular details, depicting the ground-floor arches that formed the market’s loggia. The trade guilds of Florence used the church as a chapel. They were charged by the city to commission statues of their patron saints to occupy the niches of its facades. The artists who were hired—two Donatellos are among the sculptures—and the materials that were used speak to th