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1. Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Col

   1. Kneeling Figure

      William Zorach
      

      Kneeling Figure, 1955

      Cast bronze

       

      Gift of Saul Rosen
      

      
      

      Currently not on view.
      
      William Zorach’s Kneeling Figure uses the subject of the female nude to experiment with new ways to show the human body. In the early twentieth century, as Zorach developed his visual vocabulary, the Western art world was changing rapidly. An explosion of new movements and styles—including Fauvism, Futurism, Cubism, and many other isms—caused artists to question the way they depicted their subjects. If you look closely at Kneeling Figure, you can see the influence of Cubism, which is known for using simplified, geometric forms. For example, Zorach widens the calves so that the figure’s lower legs resemble cylinders, and he poses her so that her legs form triangles.