Torso

William Zorach, Torso, 1932, granite, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation, 1986.6.85
Copied William Zorach, Torso, 1932, granite, 33 x 18 1⁄2 x 13 1⁄2 in. (83.7 x 47.0 x 34.3 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation, 1986.6.85

Artwork Details

Title
Torso
Artist
Date
1932
Location
Dimensions
33 x 18 1⁄2 x 13 1⁄2 in. (83.7 x 47.0 x 34.3 cm.)
Credit Line
Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation
Mediums
Mediums Description
granite
Classifications
Subjects
  • Figure female — torso
Object Number
1986.6.85
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1986.6.85

Artwork Description

William Zorach had a strong interest in the nude female form, which he simplified greatly in his torsos, emphasizing the smooth contours and basic shapes. Although Zorach used similar proportions in many of them, the type of material often determined the form. For example, the extremely hard granite of Torso made it more difficult to carve, resulting in a simpler design than the softer marble of Undaunted (Roberta Tarbell, Catalogue Raisonné of William Zorach’s Carved Sculpture, 1976).