Elegance

Heinz Warneke, Elegance, ca. 1927, marble, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Julia Bretzman, 1972.171
Heinz Warneke, Elegance, ca. 1927, marble, 178 147 78 in. (43.121.019.9 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Julia Bretzman, 1972.171

Artwork Details

Title
Elegance
Date
ca. 1927
Dimensions
178 147 78 in. (43.121.019.9 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Julia Bretzman
Mediums
Mediums Description
marble
Classifications
Subjects
  • Animal — cat
Object Number
1972.171

Artwork Description

In Elegance, Heinz Warneke captures the proud nature of the domestic cat. The highly polished surface of the sculpture accentuates the solid yet graceful posture of the alert feline. The simple, abstract rendering is characteristic of the artist's direct carving technique, an attribute of much of his work produced in Paris between 1927 and 1932. The regal and stylized quality reflects Warneke's interest in ancient Egyptian sculpture, of which he commented, "It satisfies my desire for a brief strong statement—yet free from any coarseness of treatment. Each line and form is sensitively felt without the slightest loss of definiteness" (Heinz Warneke, quoted in Parnassus, February 1941).

Works by this artist (2 items)

Frank Koci, Jesus Saves, 1970s, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of David L. Davies, 1992.37.3
Jesus Saves
Date1970s
Not on view
Frank Koci, Crucifixion, 1974, felt-tipped pen and ink, charcoal, tempera, pastel, and crayon on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson, 1986.65.176
Crucifixion
Date1974
felt-tipped pen and ink, charcoal, tempera, pastel, and crayon on paper
Not on view