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The Solidity of the Road to Metaphor and Memory
1934
Misha Reznikoff
Born: Kabilia, Russia 1905
Died: New York, New York 1971
oil on canvas
30 1/2 x 40 3/8 in. (77.5 x 102.6 cm.)
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Gift of Peter and Michael Reznikoff
1993.20
Smithsonian American Art Museum
4th Floor, Luce Foundation Center
The inscription “Neutrality Agreement” on the back of this painting implies that the image is about America’s involvement in Europe’s growing conflicts. It shows three strange figures, shaking hands across a train track. The person on the left thinks he is holding the hand of the figure directly opposite, when he is actually making a deal with the headless creature behind. This, together with the train tracks that lead nowhere, suggests that the “agreement” is a farce and holds no true meaning. Misha Reznikoff saw firsthand the devastation and misery of World War I during his childhood in Russia. This cast of surreal characters suggests that he saw no sincerity in the “deals” made between world leaders.
- This object is featured in the Luce Center's Mix Tape.
For more information about this work visit the Luce Foundation Center.
Keywords
Architecture - industry - railroad yard
Fantasy
Figure group
Literature - Cummings
painting
paint - oil
fabric - canvas
About Misha Reznikoff
Born: Kabilia, Russia 1905 Died: New York, New York 1971
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