Sleeping Madonna

c. 1940

William Elijah Smith

Associated Names
William Elijah Smith

Artist, American, 1913 - 1997

The image shows a stylized representation of a person's face and part of their upper body. The individual appears in a restful or contemplative pose, with their head tilted slightly forward and to the side. The facial features are simplified and abstracted with prominent, sweeping lines. The person's hair is depicted with broad lines that curve around their head. The background is solid black, contrasting sharply with the figure. The face is created with white lines, creating a sense of depth and dimension. The piece is named "Sleeping Madonna" and is attributed to William E. Smith.
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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    linocut on wove paper

  • Credit Line

    Gift of Larry D. and Brenda A. Thompson

  • Dimensions

    image: 20.4 × 15.3 cm (8 1/16 × 6 in.)
    sheet: 35.2 × 27.5 cm (13 7/8 × 10 13/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2023.145.30

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Swann Galleries); Larry and Brenda Thompson, Atlanta, GA; gift to NGA, 2023.

Associated Names

Inscriptions

"William E. Smith" lower right margin, graphite. "Sleeping Madonna" lower left margin, graphite, artist's hand. Not dated.

Markings

None.

Watermarks

None.

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