Fear

Robert Vickrey, Fear, 1954, egg tempera on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation, 1986.6.82
Robert Vickrey, Fear, 1954, egg tempera on paperboard, 34 1458 14 in. (87.0148.0 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation, 1986.6.82

Artwork Details

Title
Fear
Date
1954
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
34 1458 14 in. (87.0148.0 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation
Mediums
Mediums Description
egg tempera on paperboard
Classifications
Subjects
  • Landscape — building
  • Disaster
  • Figure female — full length
  • State of being — emotion — fear
  • Occupation — religion — nun
Object Number
1986.6.82

Artwork Description

During the 1950s, Robert Vickrey painted, made experimental films, and traveled around the world doing sketches for Time magazine. Throughout his work he assumed the perspective of the detached observer but said that to the careful viewer his paintings “always [convey] a sense of danger.” This is certainly true of Fear, in which Vickrey employed the shimmering medium of egg tempera for an image of a nun fleeing what he described as “the rubble and erosion of contemporary civilization.”


Modern American Realism: The Sara Roby Foundation Collection, 2014

Works by this artist (2 items)

Robert Vickrey, Fear, 1954, egg tempera on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation, 1986.6.82
Fear
Date1954
egg tempera on paperboard
Not on view

Exhibitions

Media - 1986.6.100 - SAAM-1986.6.100_2 - 135134
Modern American Realism: Highlights from the Sara Roby Foundation Collection
This exhibition presents some of the most treasured paintings and sculpture from SAAM’s permanent collection, including artworks by Will Barnet, Isabel Bishop, Paul Cadmus, Edward Hopper, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Jacob Lawrence, George Tooker, among others.

More Artworks from the Collection

Arnold Blanch, Harvest Scene (mural study, Fredonia, New York Post Office), ca. 1937, tempera on illustration board, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the Internal Revenue Service through the General Services Administration
, 1962.8.28
Harvest Scene (mural study, Fredonia, New York Post Office)
Dateca. 1937
tempera on illustration board
Not on view
William H. Johnson, Seated Woman in Orange Print Dress, ca. 1939-1940, tempera on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.281
Seated Woman in Orange Print Dress
Dateca. 1939-1940
tempera on paperboard
Not on view
William H. Johnson, Seated Female Nude with Gold Necklace and Auburn Hair, ca. 1939-1940, tempera on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.197
Seated Female Nude with Gold Necklace and Auburn Hair
Dateca. 1939-1940
tempera on paperboard
Not on view