Accession Number2013/2.303
TitlePolychrome Metope
Artist(s)Sergio De GiustiArtist NationalityItalian (culture or style)Object Creation Date1980Medium & Supportpaint on fired clayDimensions 18 1/2 in x 10 in x 6 in (46.99 cm x 25.4 cm x 15.24 cm)
Credit LineGift of H. David ZuccaSubject matterThought in three-dimensions, the subject of
Polychrome Metope speaks to de Giusti's larger body of work, often working in relief. He places his work in dialogue with a larger tradition of modern sculptors working in relief, notably the Italians Giacomo Manzù and Emilio Greco. Like many of his works, this sculpture makes references back to the history of art, showing the artist's interest in the imagery of Italian Early-Modern period as well as the ancient Mediterranean. Works like this bring together his modern aesthetics and historical references to create a fractured image of the human condition. The figure's body is fragmented and bound, in a struggle to break free from its constraints. This work was created as part of a larger group of reliefs that he created as a Visiting Artist in Florida, and also speaks to a larger theme of bound figures found throughout many of his sculptures.
Physical DescriptionA tabletop sculpture of a large structure and a man at the corner. The man is nude from the chest to his legs but his face and feet are wrapped in cloth. The whole sculpture is painted with red, black-brown and gold, with strong and visible brush marks. The artists's signature is chiseled into the two corner of the sculpture with the date "S di Giusti / 80".
Primary Object Classification Sculpture Primary Object TypemodelingAdditional Object Classification(s)CeramicCollection AreaModern and ContemporaryRightsIf you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit
http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Keywords
cloth
men (male humans)
metopes
nudes (representations)
reliefs (sculptures)
series (groups)
