Tag: male figure

Seated Male Figure

Seated Male Figure, Date Unknown, Mexico, Walters Art Museum

This exceptional exploration of the human form has a number of characteristics that underscore the fact that ancient artistic styles throughout West Mexico do not conform to modern political boundaries despite our use of Mexican states to name the region’s ancient cultures. The facial features and figural abstraction attest to connections between the San Sebastiian Red style of Jalisco and the Lagunillas pottery sculptures of adjacent Nayarit.

The male figure’s serene countenance and seated position on a bench-throne suggest a person of high status, his composed visage intimating that he is above the triviality of daily routine. On the other hand, his formal demeanor -arms held away from the body and hands resting securely on the knees- evokes a ritual pose like those of shamanic practices. The lack of any articulation of dress-other than the earrings, composed of a cluster of rounded forms-and the figure’s self-possessed expression point to the interpretation of the work as an idealized portrayal of a shaman in trance.

Karl Sterrer

 

Karl Sterrer, (Anatomical Study of Male Figure), Date Unknown

Karl Sterrer, the son of sculptor Carl Sterrer, studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, under Painter Alois Delug and Painter Christian Griepenkerl. He became adept at both portraits and landscapes, winning the Prix de Rome in 1908. This was followed by more awards, including the 1919 Reichel Prize.

Karl Sterre was one of the first Austrian artists to explore the genre of German Expressionism, reducing his landscape compositions to their basic essentials, using drypointing’s dark, deep lines. He traveled through Germany and Austria until 1921 when he accepted the position of Professor of Gine Arts at the Academy in Vienna.

Sterrer’s prints and paintings can be found at the Austrian Academy in Vienna, the Dresden Gallery Collection, and at the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh.