Sigmar Polke

German, 1941 - 2010

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A person, outlined in black, lassos two puffy clouds with long ropes, all against an abstract patchwork of rectangles in the background of this horizontal painting. Many of the rectangles are cream white and others are muted tones of pink, beige, tan, and blue. Some darker sage-green, violet, and brick-red rectangles are scattered across the bottom of the composition. A narrow band across the top of the painting is made up of triangles in pale blues, yellows, and pinks. The person is drawn with thin black lines and superimposed over the background. This person stands on the right side of the canvas facing our left, almost in profile. His feet are widely planted and his knees bent. His mouth is wide open, and his curly, shoulder-length hair hides his eyes. He wears a floppy cap on the back of his head. His costume has long sleeves underneath a jerkin-style jacket and loose, knee-length pants. A dagger hangs off his belt on his right hip, and a small pouch hangs near his left hip. His arms extend straight out in front of his body, with a thick, twisted rope wrapped around each forearm. He pulls the ropes taut to catch clouds in the upper center and lower left. A few wisps of clouds fill the upper left corner. A small sailboat floats near the center of the composition on a horizon line that bisects the canvas. Near the boat, swirls and streaks of sky and navy blue, crimson red, and sunflower yellow funnel from a wide base along the left edge of the canvas to a narrow band across the center.
Sigmar Polke, Hope is: Wanting to Pull Clouds, 1992, polyester resin and acrylic on canvas, Gift of the Collectors Committee, 1993.59.1

Hope is: Wanting to Pull Clouds

Sigmar Polke · 1992 · polyester resin and acrylic on canvas ·  Accession ID  1993.59.1

Sigmar Polke, Figure with Hand (Figur mit Hand), 1973, offset lithograph in black on blue paper with lizard-skin design, Gift of Wolfgang Wittrock, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art, 1991.57.14

Figure with Hand (Figur mit Hand)

Sigmar Polke · 1973 · offset lithograph in black on blue paper with lizard-skin design ·  Accession ID  1991.57.14

Sigmar Polke, Cologne Beggars III (Kölner Bettler III), 1972, offset lithograph in black on wove paper, Gift of Wolfgang Wittrock, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art, 1991.57.12

Cologne Beggars III (Kölner Bettler III)

Sigmar Polke · 1972 · offset lithograph in black on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1991.57.12

Sigmar Polke, Cologne Beggars II (Kölner Bettler II), 1972, offset lithograph in black on wove paper, Gift of Wolfgang Wittrock, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art, 1991.57.11

Cologne Beggars II (Kölner Bettler II)

Sigmar Polke · 1972 · offset lithograph in black on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1991.57.11

Sigmar Polke, Cologne Beggars I (Kölner Bettler I), 1972, offset lithograph in black on wove paper, Gift of Wolfgang Wittrock, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art, 1991.57.10

Cologne Beggars I (Kölner Bettler I)

Sigmar Polke · 1972 · offset lithograph in black on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1991.57.10

Sigmar Polke, Cologne Beggars IV (Kölner Bettler IV), 1972, offset lithograph in black on wove paper, Gift of Wolfgang Wittrock, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art, 1991.57.13

Cologne Beggars IV (Kölner Bettler IV)

Sigmar Polke · 1972 · offset lithograph in black on wove paper ·  Accession ID  1991.57.13

Sigmar Polke, Ohne Titel - Polkes Peitsche (Untitled - Polke's Whip), 1964-1968, printed 1990, gelatin silver print, Patrons' Permanent Fund, 2008.30.40

Ohne Titel - Polkes Peitsche (Untitled - Polke's Whip)

Sigmar Polke · 1964-1968, printed 1990 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2008.30.40

Sigmar Polke, Ohne Titel (Untitled), 1964-1968, printed 1990, gelatin silver print, Patrons' Permanent Fund, 2008.30.39

Ohne Titel (Untitled)

Sigmar Polke · 1964-1968, printed 1990 · gelatin silver print ·  Accession ID  2008.30.39

Sigmar Polke, Gerhard Richter, Umwandlung (Transformation), 1968, photolithograph, Patrons' Permanent Fund, 2008.30.41

Umwandlung (Transformation)

Sigmar Polke, Gerhard Richter · 1968 · photolithograph ·  Accession ID  2008.30.41