Organic Forms (Striding Man)

Artist: Rudolf Belling, German, 1886–1972
Date: 1921
Material: Bronze
made in: Berlin, Berlin state, Germany, Europe
Classification: Sculpture
Collection: Modern and Contemporary Art
Current Location: On View, Gallery 213
Dimensions: 21 1/2 x 8 x 7 in. (54.6 x 20.3 x 17.8 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Morton D. May
Rights: © Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, NY/VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn
Object Number: 236:1959

NOTES

Rudolf Belling juxtaposes curved and angled forms to represent an abstract figure in motion. Spherical masses define the man’s head and shoulders while parallel projections suggest his ribcage. Belling explored the idea of making the human body resemble a mechanized figure. The smooth, metallic surface and streamlined forms of this striding robot reflect the preoccupation with the aesthetics of modern machines in interwar Germany.

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