On a recent trip to the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, I was finally able to spend time with the numerous pieces of sculpture by Paul Manship on display there. His work is so inspiring! Most of us are familiar with his work but didn’t know it. He is the sculptor who created the “Prometheus” statue by the ice rink at Rockfeller Center.
There is a strong graphic quality to all his works, and biographies point to his work being a precursor to Art Deco. But most seminal works of the Art Deco period typically leave me cold—the figures don’t seem to really inhabit the space or move through a scene. Manship’s creations have a wonderful line and fluidity to them. You can sense the dense weightiness of his sculpted bears; you can feel the wind flowing through the banner being waved by Atalanta; you can imagine the swift flight of the Indian braves running alongside wolves.
There is a strong graphic quality to all his works, and biographies point to his work being a precursor to Art Deco. But most seminal works of the Art Deco period typically leave me cold—the figures don’t seem to really inhabit the space or move through a scene. Manship’s creations have a wonderful line and fluidity to them. You can sense the dense weightiness of his sculpted bears; you can feel the wind flowing through the banner being waved by Atalanta; you can imagine the swift flight of the Indian braves running alongside wolves.
When I behold how skillfully he portrays the human figure and animal forms, it makes me want to rush home and draw. Thanks Mr. Manship!
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