God (sculpture)
Encyclopedia
God is a 1917 sculpture
by Baroness Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven
. It is an example of readymade art, a term coined by Marcel Duchamp
in 1915 to describe his found art. God was originally attributed to a machine-painting follower of Francis Picabia
named Morton Livingston Schamberg
. This attribution has only recently been questioned. Schamberg was a precise artist who showed no inclination towards scatological humour which, given the nature of the work would seem necessary. It is probable that the Dada
Baroness created the work during a two-month visit to Philadelphia, during which she worked with Schamberg. It is now believed that he merely photographed the sculpture, in front of a painting that is recognisably his. The Baroness subsequently left Philadelphia in high dudgeon, believing herself to have been snubbed by the local artistic community, returning to New York
without her "God". This highly irreligeous Dada object is typical of the deliberately provocative and defiant artistic stance of the Baroness. It is now regarded as a sister piece to Marcel Duchamp's infamous 'Fountain
' sculpture which consists of an upended urinal. Both works were created in the same year and there is some uncertainty about who first had the idea of turning plumbing into art, Duchamp and the Baroness were friends during this period, they lived in the same apartment building and had many discussions late into the night.
God is 10½ inches high and consists of a cast iron
plumbing trap
turned upside down and mounted on a wooden mitre box
. The work is now in the Arensberg Collection in the Philadelphia Museum of Art
.
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
by Baroness Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven
Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven
Baroness Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven was a German-born avant-garde, Dadaist artist and poet who worked for several years in Greenwich Village, New York City, United States.-Early life:Freytag-Loringhoven was born Elsa Hildegard Plötz in Swinemünde , German Empire,...
. It is an example of readymade art, a term coined by Marcel Duchamp
Marcel Duchamp
Marcel Duchamp was a French artist whose work is most often associated with the Dadaist and Surrealist movements. Considered by some to be one of the most important artists of the 20th century, Duchamp's output influenced the development of post-World War I Western art...
in 1915 to describe his found art. God was originally attributed to a machine-painting follower of Francis Picabia
Francis Picabia
Francis Picabia was a French painter, poet, and typographist, associated with both the Dada and Surrealist art movements.- Early life :...
named Morton Livingston Schamberg
Morton Livingston Schamberg
Morton Livingston Schamberg was an American painter and photographer. He was one of the first American artists to explore the aesthetic qualities of industrial subjects...
. This attribution has only recently been questioned. Schamberg was a precise artist who showed no inclination towards scatological humour which, given the nature of the work would seem necessary. It is probable that the Dada
Dada
Dada or Dadaism is a cultural movement that began in Zurich, Switzerland, during World War I and peaked from 1916 to 1922. The movement primarily involved visual arts, literature—poetry, art manifestoes, art theory—theatre, and graphic design, and concentrated its anti-war politics through a...
Baroness created the work during a two-month visit to Philadelphia, during which she worked with Schamberg. It is now believed that he merely photographed the sculpture, in front of a painting that is recognisably his. The Baroness subsequently left Philadelphia in high dudgeon, believing herself to have been snubbed by the local artistic community, returning to New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
without her "God". This highly irreligeous Dada object is typical of the deliberately provocative and defiant artistic stance of the Baroness. It is now regarded as a sister piece to Marcel Duchamp's infamous 'Fountain
Fountain (Duchamp)
Fountain is a 1917 work by Marcel Duchamp. It is one of the pieces which he called readymades. In such pieces he made use of an already existing object. In this case Duchamp used a urinal, which he titled Fountain and signed "R. Mutt". Readymades also go by the term Found object...
' sculpture which consists of an upended urinal. Both works were created in the same year and there is some uncertainty about who first had the idea of turning plumbing into art, Duchamp and the Baroness were friends during this period, they lived in the same apartment building and had many discussions late into the night.
God is 10½ inches high and consists of a cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
plumbing trap
Trap (plumbing)
In plumbing, a trap is a U-, S-, or J-shaped pipe located below or within a plumbing fixture. An S-shaped trap is also known as the S-bend invented by Alexander Cummings in 1775 but became known as the U-bend following the introduction of the U-shaped trap by Thomas Crapper in 1880. The new U-bend...
turned upside down and mounted on a wooden mitre box
Mitre box
A mitre box is a woodworking tool used to guide a hand saw to make precise mitre cuts in a board.The most common form of a mitre box is a 3-sided box which is open at the top and the ends. The box is made wide enough to accommodate the width of the boards to be cut. Slots are cut in the walls of...
. The work is now in the Arensberg Collection in the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is among the largest art museums in the United States. It is located at the west end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. The Museum was established in 1876 in conjunction with the Centennial Exposition of the same year...
.
External links
- God on the Philadelphia Museum of Art website http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/51106.html