Object Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog number |
93.9 |
Artist |
Van Rosen, Robert |
Title |
She Was Always Like That |
Date |
1937 |
Object Name |
Painting |
Description |
Painting titled "She Was Always Like That" by Robert Van Rosen (American painter, 1904-1966). "She was always like that" may be considered typical of the male Surrealists' attempts at portraying women. The title implies a generic, timeless female identity, whose form is predominantly abstracted though still recognizable. The draped, seated figure is placed in a stage-like theatrical space. A strange connection emerges between the figure and the nearby barren tree: both are lifeless and confined in a contrived interior. Radiating lines leading to a door do not provide an exit; no secret journey or magical world awaits her, only the hallucinatory gaze of the artist. The theatrical quality of the piece may be related to Van Rosen's work as a scenic designer alongside his easel painting. Citation: Extract taken from research paper by C. Goldberg (1993) *Exhibited in 'Hope is the Thing with Feathers: Art of the Natural World', 4/11-7/31/2019. |
Medium/Material |
Oil on canvas |
Dimensions |
H-30 W-23.75 D-0.875 inches |
Culture |
Russian American |