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Catalog Data

Maker:
Alexander "Skunder" Boghossian, 1937-2003, born Ethiopia  Search this
Medium:
Oil on canvas
Dimensions:
H x W: 99 x 63.6 cm (39 x 25 1/16 in.)
Type:
Painting
Geography:
Ethiopia
Date:
1961
Label Text:
Skunder commented on this work in a 1962 gallery brochure: "During my stay in Oise, I was in constant contact with a person who is an artist and has extraordinary visions. This portrait is related to her. The mystery of her visions altered her features; her eyes were still, her neck long and stiff. The form on the right hand side symbolizes the impact of her visions, which are related to the oval-shaped form on the top left hand side. The whole symbolize her unity in this universe, and magic fertility."
Throughout his career Skunder would allude to Ethiopian subjects and iconography among other sources. It is interesting to compare this relatively early work by Skunder with the traditional Ethiopian theme of the Virgin Mary. The crossed hands relate to the standard pose of Mary holding a hankerchief. The oval forms in the background take the place of the archangels. The red paint on the face, neck and arms recall the shading or tatooing seen on icons.
Description:
Vertical format oil on canvas picturing a seated woman in a white dress with hands crossed on her lap. The background is yellow-brown and divided into three sections.
Provenance:
Merton Simpson, New York, 1962 to 1996
Exhibition History:
African Mosaic: Selections from the Permanent Collection, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., November 19, 2013–August 12, 2019 (installed October 7, 2016–July 8, 2019)
Conversations: African and African American Artworks in Dialogue - From the Collections of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art and Camille O. and William H. Cosby, Jr., National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, November 7, 2014-January 24, 2016
Merton D. Simpson Gallery, New York, February-March 1962 (might be African Excellence)
Published References:
Kreamer, Christine Mullen and Adrienne L. Childs (eds). 2014. Conversations: African and African American Artworks in Dialogue from the Collections of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art and Camille O. and William H. Cosby, Jr. Washington, D.C.: National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, p. 85, pl. 25, front cover.
Content Statement:
As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
Image Requests:
High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
Topic:
female  Search this
Credit Line:
Gift of Merton Simpson in memory of Sylvia H. Williams
Object number:
96-14-1
Restrictions & Rights:
Usage conditions apply
Copyright:
© 1961 Skunder Boghossian
See more items in:
National Museum of African Art Collection
Data Source:
National Museum of African Art
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys70d3ceb59-f462-40c2-9e4d-7e6c889ee5d0
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmafa_96-14-1