Woman Dressing

Copied David Hare, Woman Dressing, 1950, ceramic/cut-out and fired on stone base, 9 342 343 78 in. (24.97.010.0 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1976.53

Artwork Details

Title
Woman Dressing
Artist
Date
1950
Dimensions
9 342 343 78 in. (24.97.010.0 cm.)
Credit Line
Museum purchase
Mediums
Mediums Description
ceramic/cut-out and fired on stone base
Classifications
Keywords
  • Figure female
  • Recreation — leisure — grooming
Object Number
1976.53

Artwork Description

David Hare was influenced by surrealist imagery, which often portrayed women in a sexual or violent way. In Woman Dressing a distorted female figure has been partially covered by strips of clay. The simple act of dressing has been transformed into something more sinister, as the snakelike forms appear to glide up the woman’s body and over her face. Hare wanted to provoke an emotional response in his audiences, calling upon them to decide what exactly is happening in the sculpture. In this way, the viewer becomes a participant in the scene and “completes” the artwork.