Fisherman’s Idol

Copied 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

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.)
Credit Line
Gift of Juliet Man Ray
Mediums
Mediums Description
bronze
Classifications
Subjects
  • Abstract — geometric
Object Number
1983.105.7
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/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.