Surrealism
“Anatomies” created by Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), 1929
Gelatin silver print
Art Analysis
This wonderful artwork was created by Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky), in 1929.
Composition
In this photograph there is a female posing with her head leaned back and her neck exposed.
Lee Miller, an American photographer and Man Ray's former lover, is believed to be the model.
Having the backdrop and the rest of her head blacked out is a great effect which solely directs the
audience's attention to her neck. With the neck being one of the most intimate places on a woman, it
makes her vulnerable. Intimacy is a gesture shown between two physically close people. It also
shows she is submissive. Also, this position is expressed when in a state of intense pleasure but
can also be expressed when in overwhelming pain. He is also converting the human body to show
an animalistic desire. He often likes working with concepts that contrast each other all in one
composition so for this piece, Man Ray is forcing the audience to balance the tension between
desire and pain. Also, the focal point of her chin forces your eye to follow from the neck down to
the collarbone. This personally, makes me feel a kind of need to mark it because of her flawless
porcelain skin.
Lee Miller, an American photographer and Man Ray's former lover, is believed to be the model.
Having the backdrop and the rest of her head blacked out is a great effect which solely directs the
audience's attention to her neck. With the neck being one of the most intimate places on a woman, it
makes her vulnerable. Intimacy is a gesture shown between two physically close people. It also
shows she is submissive. Also, this position is expressed when in a state of intense pleasure but
can also be expressed when in overwhelming pain. He is also converting the human body to show
an animalistic desire. He often likes working with concepts that contrast each other all in one
composition so for this piece, Man Ray is forcing the audience to balance the tension between
desire and pain. Also, the focal point of her chin forces your eye to follow from the neck down to
the collarbone. This personally, makes me feel a kind of need to mark it because of her flawless
porcelain skin.
Colour
The photograph is coloured in black and white, considering that colour processing with film had not
been accessible yet, black and white film is all that artists, in particular, had access to. This gives
the image the effect of high contrast highlighting the light and dark zones on her neck more boldly
to draw the viewer’s eye towards her neck.
been accessible yet, black and white film is all that artists, in particular, had access to. This gives
the image the effect of high contrast highlighting the light and dark zones on her neck more boldly
to draw the viewer’s eye towards her neck.
Techniques
Man Ray has captured this piece using gelatin silver print as his medium. The photograph has 22.6cm x 17.2cm as its dimensions, which is just smaller than an A4 piece of paper.
The camera is positioned a bit lower than her collarbone and angled up so we can see the entirety
of the front of her bare neck. Using this, Man Ray has caught our attention and we can interpret
just what he is trying to get across to us. Vulnerability, intimateness and expression.
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