Benita State II, a 1981 R.C. Gorman lithograph, re-presents the beloved Benita composition — a kneeling woman cradling a geometric Acoma olla — in a warmer, richer state. Where State I sets the scene on honey-yellow, State II wraps the figure in a wine-red shawl with cream accents, the black-and-red patterned jar resting against soft peach-to-cream ground. Gorman’s confident contour drawing carries the print, and the deeper palette gives this state a more grounded, intimate weight than its sunnier companion.
Signed and numbered from an edition of 180, Benita St II is a highly desirable collectible for pairs-of-states collectors, Acoma pottery imagery enthusiasts, and collectors of classic early-1980s R.C. Gorman lithographs. Display it beside State I to enjoy the artist’s two readings of one quiet moment.
