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Man Ray, Fisherman's Idol, cast 1973, bronze, 16 1⁄4 x 4 3⁄4 x 4 3⁄4 in. (41.4 x 12.0 x 12.0 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Juliet Man Ray, 1983.105.7
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Artwork Details
- Title
- Fisherman’s Idol
- Artist
- Date
- cast 1973
- Location
- Dimensions
- 16 1⁄4 x 4 3⁄4 x 4 3⁄4 in. (41.4 x 12.0 x 12.0 cm.)
- Markings
- base lower right incised: Man/RayEA
- Credit Line
- Gift of Juliet Man Ray
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- bronze
- Classifications
- Keywords
- Nonrepresentational
- Abstract — geometric
- Object Number
- 1983.105.7
Artwork Description
Man Ray made many works from objects that he had picked up by chance, arranging the items in a thought-provoking way. Fisherman’s Idol is a bronze casting of a wood and cork assemblage that was first exhibited in 1926. The bronze gives the piece a permanence that the original materials could not offer. The tall figure evokes a primitive sculpture of a mythical god or a talisman carried by sailors to protect them from the dangers of the sea.
Luce Object Quote
“These objects are a mystery to [me] as much as they might be to others and [I] hope that they will always remain so. That is their justification, if any is needed.” Man Ray, Exhibition Catalogue, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1966