Audrey Flack, Queen, 1976, acrylic on canvas, 80 × 80 in. (203.2 × 203.2 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Louis K. and Susan P. Meisel, 2022.11.5
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Artwork Details
- Title
- Queen
- Artist
- Date
- 1976
- Location
- Dimensions
- 80 × 80 in. (203.2 × 203.2 cm)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Louis K. and Susan P. Meisel
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- acrylic on canvas
- Classifications
- Subjects
- Dress — accessory — makeup
- Still life — toy — cards
- Dress — accessory — jewelry
- Still life — fruit
- Still life — flower
- Object Number
- 2022.11.5
Artwork Description
Audrey Flack has said that she made this painting "for all women, particularly women gamblers"--a reference to her mother, whose portrait appears, alongside the artist's, in the open locket just below the queen of hearts playing card. To the left, Flack depicts another queen--a chess piece, the most powerful in the game and therefore an emblem of female power and importance.
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Go into the studio of renowned artist Audrey Flack (1931-2024) for an engaging personal interview. Flack discusses the quest for truth in her work and the significance behind her iconic artwork Queen, part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection. She explores the uplifting nature of her last body of work, which blends historic and pop culture references with religious iconography. To learn more about Flack, visit the artist page.
This project received Federal support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative Pool, administered by the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.