Sunbathers on the Roof

John Sloan, Sunbathers on the Roof, 1941, etching on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Frank McClure, 1979.98.214
Copied John Sloan, Sunbathers on the Roof, 1941, etching on paper, plate: 6 x 7 in. (15.1 x 17.7 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Frank McClure, 1979.98.214

Artwork Details

Title
Sunbathers on the Roof
Artist
Printer
Date
1941
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
plate: 6 x 7 in. (15.1 x 17.7 cm)
Credit Line
Bequest of Frank McClure
Mediums Description
etching on paper
Classifications
Subjects
  • Cityscape — New York — New York
  • Figure group
  • Animal — cat
  • Recreation — sport and play — swimming
  • Architecture Exterior — detail — roof
Object Number
1979.98.214
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1979.98.214

Artwork Description

John Sloan illustrates an intimate moment as two sunbathers greet a friendly feline on the roof of a city building. Tiny details poke fun at this indecorous amorous encounter, including the woman's tossed-off shoe and the closed book, which is entitled "Love" and features a kissing couple on its cover. After working as an illustrator in Philadelphia, Sloan moved to New York City in 1904 and focused on commonplace urban scenes. Four years later, the Macbeth Gallery featured a landmark exhibition of eight American artists, including Sloan, that broke with academic traditions through its attention to prosaic city life. Such irreverent and working-class subjects earned the group the nickname the "Ashcan School."