Accession Number1993/1.115.2
TitleMother's Kisses: MOTHER AND HE HAD ALWAYS BEEN VERY CLOSE
Artist(s)Dotty AttieArtist NationalityAmerican (North American)Object Creation Date1982Medium & Supportlithograph on Arches paperDimensions 6 in x 6 in (15.24 cm x 15.24 cm);7 1/4 in x 7 1/4 in x 3/4 in (18.4 cm x 18.4 cm x 1.9 cm);3 1/2 in x 3 1/2 in (8.9 cm x 8.9 cm)
Credit LineMuseum PurchaseLabel copyFor more than twenty years Dotty Attie has adapted scenes from famous Old Master paintings, calling attention both to her sources and her reinterpretations. This lithograph culls the figures of Venus and Cupid from Bronzino's mid-16th century painting "The Exposure of Luxury." To this portrayal of incest she juxtaposes a series of details. These present fragments of their bodies, which fetishizes those anatomical parts. These details are interspersed with texts that comment ironically on this perverted mother-child relationship.
Subject matterThis text comments on the central figures of Venus and Cupid from Bronzino's mid-16th century painting "An Allegory with Venus and Cupid," also known as "Venus, Cupid, Folly, and Time" which have been sampled by Dottie Attie in the first image in this portfolio. By pulling Venus and Cupid, from the original painting and adding details and text via the other pages from the portfolio, such as this, Attie eliminates mythical references and symbols of Renaissance refinement and focuses in on the erotic undertones of the work.
Physical DescriptionThis print shows a block of text within a square reading, "MOTHER AND HE HAD ALWAYS BEEN VERY CLOSE." It is centered on white paper in a square mat.
Primary Object ClassificationPrintCollection AreaModern and ContemporaryRightsIf you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit
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Keywords
American (North American)
Figures
Venus
allegory (artistic device)
cupids
feminists (people)
kisses
modern and contemporary art
mothers
nudes
sons (people)
texts (documents)