Jonah and the Whale

Object Details

Artist

Samuel Rothbort, born Wolkovisk, Russia 1882-died New York City 1971

Luce Center Label

Samuel Rothbort developed work in wood and stone during the 1930s. He never used commercial materials and instead salvaged pieces of driftwood, fieldstone, and even old fence posts for his carvings. Jonah and the Whale was carved from an uneven block of granite, in which the soft lines and rough texture evoke Rothbort’s belief that he “released” the image from within the stone.

Luce Object Quote

“When I work in [stone] I feel immortal and the subject springs out of the material.” Samuel Rothbort, quoted in Hollis Taggart Galleries Exhibition Catalogue, 1969

Credit Line

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Ida Rothbort, Daughter

ca. 1930s

Object number

1996.14

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

Sculpture

Medium

granite

Dimensions

10 x 15 3/4 x 8 5/8 in. (25.4 x 40.0 x 22.0 cm.)

Department

Painting and Sculpture

On View

Smithsonian American Art Museum, 1st Floor, North Wing

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Topic

Animal\whale

Religion\Old Testament\Jonah

Record ID

saam_1996.14

Usage of Metadata (Object Detail Text)

Not determined

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/vk7ae93115b-7dc5-43ec-9658-e09e925cfdc7