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William S. Burroughs

Avarice, from the portfolio The Seven Deadly Sins

1991

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  • Artist William S. Burroughs (American, 1914–1997)
  • Title Avarice, from the portfolio The Seven Deadly Sins
  • Date 1991
  • Medium Screenprint
  • Edition description 29/90
  • Dimensions unframed |
    framed | 46 7/8 x 32 7/8 x 2 in.
  • Credit line University purchase, Art Acquisition Fund, 1995
  • Object number WU 1995.16.02 b

4/13/1995
Shearburn Fine Art, William

Inscription Textual component: Gluttony of the Sweets, the Sugars, the Deadly / Apples, melting in the mounth, transmuting teeth and / gristle and bone into a toothsome sweetmeat. One taste, / and the deadly process is activated: digestive juices / concentrate and churn, eating the body away, leaving the / pearly cream testicles, the crispy penis that yields with / sweet reluctant delay and the quintessence of delight / residing in the juice of the Adam’s Apple dissolves to / ingest the living brain, quivering like a great oster, / from the softened skull . . . oh! oh! La la la . . . / slurp . . . blub . . .

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