Seated Figure 1917

This *Seated Figure* by Jacques Lipchitz, shows a body constructed of geometrical and rounded forms in light-colored stone. What was he thinking? This sculpture feels like it might have come into being through trial, error, and intuition. The figure is solid and heavy, with a rough texture. The eye travels around the form, from head to feet, with a sense of the artist working and reworking the material. I wonder if this sculpture relates to Lipchitz's wider practice and body of work, and the work of other cubist sculptors. Maybe he was influenced by Picasso, or Brancusi? It's amazing to think about how artists are in an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity. This sculpture feels like an embodied expression which embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations and meaning.