Allegory: After Courbet
John DeANDREA: artist
John de Andrea’s work is a fine example of New Realist sculpture. It is one of a small number of self-portraits executed by the artist, and it places him in dialogue with one of the central figures of Realism in the 19th century, the French artist, Gustav Courbet (1819-1877) who was influential in repositioning perceptions around the artist’s role in contemporary society through his own painting. Inspired in particular by Courbet’s iconic painting, Interior of my studio, a real allegory summing up seven years of my life as an artist (1854-55), DeAndrea's sculpture focuses on the central relationship of the artist and his naked model (or muse), thereby providing an allegory of the artist as creator. The model holds a draped cloth to her body, as in Courbet’s painting. The sculpture is cast from live models to achieve a high degree of realism which is offset by the monochromatic shades of neutral grey of the figures, achieving an effect similar to black and white photography.
Title
Allegory: After Courbet
Artist/Maker and role
John DeANDREA: artist
Date
1988
Medium
oil and synthetic polymer paint on polyvinyl acetate and silicone rubber
Measurements
172.2 x 152.2 x 190.2 cm
Credit line
Purchased 1989
© John DeAndrea 1988
The State Art Collection, The Art Gallery of Western Australia
Accession number
1989/0378.a-d