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Altar Piece by "Prophet" Royal Robertson / American Art
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Altar Piece

ca. 1970s-1980s "Prophet" Royal Robertson Born: Baldwin, Louisiana 1930 Died: Houston, Texas 1997 wood, paint, glitter, paper, and metal 49 x 22 x 12 in. (124.5 x 55.9 x 30.5 cm.) Smithsonian American Art Museum Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment 1997.124.80 Smithsonian American Art Museum
3rd Floor, Luce Foundation Center



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Altar Piece
from American Art staff



After his wife left him, Royal Robertson created countless drawings of women as prostitutes and temptresses. His fantasy world also included spaceships, futuristic cities, and superheroes. In this piece he painted an intimidating, Amazon-like figure with revealing clothes and exaggerated proportions. By placing this alluring image on an altarpiece, Robertson expressed his belief that men are too easily bewitched by women.

For more information about this work visit the Luce Foundation Center.


Keywords

Figure female - full length

Monument - religious - altar

sculpture

folk art

metal

paint

paper

readymade - glitter

wood

About "Prophet" Royal Robertson

Born: Baldwin, Louisiana 1930 Died: Houston, Texas 1997

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"Prophet" Royal Robertson

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