The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 13, 2025

Suit Shopping: An Engraved Narrative: Scenes 3, 4, and 5

2000–2002

Andrew Raftery

(American, b. 1962)

three sheets of paper joined by tape, each with a printed scene; engraving from four plates on four sheets of paper (three joined); paper folder

Sheet: 49.5 x 107 cm (19 1/2 x 42 1/8 in.); Matted: 53.7 x 111 x 0.3 cm (21 1/8 x 43 11/16 x 1/8 in.)

Gift of friends in memory of Ann Bassett and Tom Johnson 2003.15.2

Location: Not on view

Description

Raftery depicts the habits and mores of average Americans—the ordinary events of modern life—often humorously. "Shopping for a suit is a cultural remnant, it is an event in a man's life," the artist explains. "I was thinking about male vanity." Raftery presents such mundane situations as straightforward, old-fashioned narratives, allowing the story to unfold in a series of related scenes. Engraving is exacting and difficult, so few artists today choose this printmaking method. Raftery, however, has mastered the art of cutting grooves into a copper plate. Since paper currency is printed from metal plates engraved in the same way, he likes the implied connection between the technique and monetary power and authority.

Fresh Prints: The Nineties to Now. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (March 22-July 26, 2015).
The Cleveland Museum of Art (3/22/2015 - 7/26/2015); "Fresh Prints: The Nineties to Now"
{{cite web|title=Suit Shopping: An Engraved Narrative: Scenes 3, 4, and 5|url=false|author=Andrew Raftery|year=2000–2002|access-date=13 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2003.15.2