Alexander Calder
Squash Blossoms
Lithograph, 24"x20"
Donor: John Marshall

Calder cemented his interactive mobile designs onto two-dimensional surfaces in the 1950's. His geometric abstract shapes are comprised of vivid primary colors. These bold designs show evidence of his hand at work, creating an organic appearance and a unique quality. 1999.02

Richard Buckminster Fuller
Jitterbug
Metal Sculpture, 6'x2'
Donor: Nancy Drysdale

This piece is a fusion of geometric shapes atop a slender pedestal creating a structurally abstract sculpture. The idea of inscribing, or placing one mass inside another, creates a multidimensional aspect to the work. The voluminous dimensions of this piece echo his organic style and attention to the ecosystem.¹ SC.1997.02.01

William Merritt Chase
Low Tide
Oil Painting, 26 ¼"x 35 5/8"
Donor: Eugene Mako

By painting en plein air, Chase has developed a Tonalist style; the movement diverged from Impressionism to express Symbolist tendencies. Chase used soft colors and handling of the medium to emphasize the atmosphere.² Here in Low Tide he depicts a vast seascape where a crisp vibrant blue sea joins the sky and shallow water in a fusion of blue hues. 21.2003

Andy Warhol
Soup Can
Serigraph, 35"x 23"
Donor: Norton T. Dodge

Andy Warhol used everyday items in ways that eliminate the ordinary and embody their popularity by exploiting the object's recognizable characteristics. Viewers easily relate to the images. Actually, the soup can series was so recognizable that many images appeared in Campbell's advertisements making the Soup Can one of his most famous pieces. 02.1993

Robert Spencer
Docks
Oil Painting, 12 ¼"x 14 1/8"
Donor: Eugene Mako

Painting en plein air, Robert Spencer applied muted blues and grays to evoke an overall flatness to his paintings. His brushstrokes are short and Impressionistic creating a soft landscape depicting a town off the water, the air saturated with moisture. He studied with William Merritt Chase, another featured artist in our collection. 01.2004

Thomas Hart Benton
The Boy
Lithograph, 16 ½" x 20 ½"

The emotional passage of leaving home for a new life is captured in the connection between the proud parents in the field above waving goodbye to their son. As the eye meanders down the path from the left to right, the boy reaches back to his family and the home he always knew, holding true to his roots but in search of independence. 05.2004

Chi Wara Headdress
Wood Sculpture, 52 13/16" x 3 ¾" x 16 1/16"

Derived from one of the most dominant tribes in Mali, they are known for living off the land and thriving off nature. As animists they believe animals and other resources such as wood to have spiritual properties. The antelope is one of the most praised representations of the god FARO and commonly seen as the main design in ceremonial headdresses. These headdresses are used in rhythmic dances to promote fertility.³ SC.1997.09.21

Bartholomew Mako
Self Portrait and Georgina
Oil Painting, 21 5/8"x18 ¼"
Donor: Eugene Mako

This self-portrait shows the artist painting an anonymous sitter as the he looks past the canvas toward the audience. His ambiguous gaze seems to notice the audience but takes no interest in their presence. His presence in the composition is a self proclamation as an artist and yet his confidence in his craft is powerful enough for him to find it unnecessary to display his work. 25.2004

Ando Hiroshige
Shinagawa: Departure of a Dinamyo
Colored Woodcut, 15 ½"x 20 ½"
Donor: Elena and Burton Glinn

Through an Ukiyo-e style, Hiroshige modeled many works upon his personal travels. The small size and attention to detail give each piece an intimacy rich with vibrant colors and stimulating vantage points.⁴ 1991.03

Pablo Picasso
The Harvest
Painted Bowl, 4"x 10 ½"
Donor: Dr. and Mrs. James Rudel

Although widely known for his Cubist paintings, Pablo Picasso explored a wide range of media in his body of work. Gaining inspiration from both his paintings and sculpture he was able to consolidate his knowledge here in a fusion of techniques manifest in his ceramic designs. His work became multidimensional not only in form but also in function.⁴ SC.1987.02

Auguste Rodin
Balzac
Bronze Sculpture, 28 ½"x 11 ½"x 13 ½"
Donor: Eugene Mako

Through his attention to detail, Rodin's realistic sculptures seem to come alive. The figure is depicted in a wide stance with arms crossed. His abrasive body language is enhanced by an equally aggressive facial expression. His brow furrowed and his mouth pursed, the piece conveys a contentious tone. 03.2003

John J. Audubon
Forked-Tail Flycatcher (plate #165)
Color Engraving Print, 23"x 18"

John J. Audubon's sketches of birds once surpassed others in Naturalistic style and are held as a standard for competing artists. His attention to proportion and detail has produced some of the most realistic images of birds propelling his status to one of the most talented artists in the genre.⁵ SMC.1992.4.1+2

Bernard Chaet
Portrait of Leonard Bocour Acrylic Painting, 27"x 22 ½"
Donor: Leonard and Ruth Bocour

The crisp white accents of the portrait were choreographed to illuminate the image while the surrounding colors fuse to create a vibrant and interactive representation. The fluidity of the watercolor displays lively movement as it is brushed across the paper. Although hard to control, he wagers the possibility of a melting of color to create a vivacity that is undeniable. 2001.02

Myron
Diskobolos
Plaster Cast, 66"x 39"x 19 ½"
Donor: Metropolitan Museum of Art

This muscular representation of an Olympic competitor is a well-recognized piece at SMCM. Any student who enters the main floor of the library comes into contact with this powerful sculpture. The active image is one of strength while at the same time represents a long tradition of constructive competition. 05.1982

Marc Chagall
Woman Riding a Circus Animal
Pochoir Print, 35 ¾"x 29 ½"
Donor: Steven Sheinhouse and Frances Glasser

This vibrant depiction of a female is expressionistic with her exaggerated hand gesture and the artist's large bright brushstrokes encompassing the composition. The linear piece is broken down into three columns, pink, red and blue all anchored on a lush patch of green. The abstracted image expresses movement and emotion creating an electric moment. 2008.18