Winged Dog

Stephan W. Polaha, Winged Dog, ca. 1975, painted wood, metal, and glass, 17 782210 12 in. (45.455.926.7 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 1997.124.77

Artwork Details

Title
Winged Dog
Date
ca. 1975
Dimensions
17 782210 12 in. (45.455.926.7 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment
Mediums Description
painted wood, metal, and glass
Classifications
Subjects
  • Fantasy — animal — dog
Object Number
1997.124.77

Artwork Description

Stephan W. Polaha created fanciful creatures that were often an amalgamation of different figures and concepts from his life. In Winged Dog, Polaha added wings to man's best friend. The blank expression and bright red mouth suggest that this spotted canine is a new whimsical breed. Polaha had pet dogs and often included images of dogs in his pieces. He was also a devout Catholic, and Winged Dog could have served as a memorial to a lost pet.

Works by this artist (3 items)

Stephan W. Polaha, Green Eyed Dog, ca. 1975, carved and painted wood and glass, Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Margaret Z. Robson Collection, Gift of John E. and Douglas O. Robson, 2016.38.61
Green Eyed Dog
Dateca. 1975
carved and painted wood and glass
On view
Stephan W. Polaha, Eagle, ca. 1975, carved and painted wood and glass, Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Margaret Z. Robson Collection, Gift of John E. and Douglas O. Robson, 2016.38.62
Eagle
Dateca. 1975
carved and painted wood and glass
On view
Stephan W. Polaha, Winged Dog, ca. 1975, painted wood, metal, and glass, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 1997.124.77
Winged Dog
Dateca. 1975
painted wood, metal, and glass
On view