Desert Landscape

Frank Fleming, Desert Landscape, 1980, unglazed porcelain, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1980.97A-C
Copied Frank Fleming, Desert Landscape, 1980, unglazed porcelain, overall: 14 1⁄2 x 30 x 21 in. (36.8 x 76.2 x 53.3 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1980.97A-C

Artwork Details

Title
Desert Landscape
Artist
Date
1980
Location
Dimensions
overall: 14 1⁄2 x 30 x 21 in. (36.8 x 76.2 x 53.3 cm)
Credit Line
Museum purchase
Mediums
Mediums Description
unglazed porcelain
Classifications
Subjects
  • Object — furniture — chair
  • Animal — camel
  • Animal — bird — penguin
  • Animal — bird
Object Number
1980.97A-C
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1980.97A-C

Artwork Description

Frank Fleming recalls bringing together “three unlikely companions” to create the fanciful scene in Desert Landscape. Each animal represents a different place. Fleming explains that “the idea of the camel being a ship on the desert and the penguin coming from the cold country and the parrot from the lush jungle appealed to me.” He likes to use unglazed porcelain and is careful to capture the distinct attributes of each animal, seen in the ruffled feathers of the parrot, which he reproduced by imprinting real feathers on pieces of porcelain.