The Rose 1946

Fannie Hillsmith created this etching, titled ‘The Rose’, in 1946. Hillsmith, a Jewish woman who was deeply private about her lesbian identity, navigated the art world during a period of significant social and political upheaval. In ‘The Rose,’ the artist eschews traditional representations of beauty, developing an alternative narrative of abstraction, perhaps echoing her own feelings of being an outsider. The rose is depicted in a Cubist style, breaking down the familiar form into geometric shapes and lines. The composition, with its fragmented petals and distorted stem, invites us to consider the rose not just as a symbol of love, but also as a complex and multifaceted entity. We might ask ourselves whether the abstraction signals a break from conventional expectations and norms? What feelings does this elicit, what emotions does the image evoke? In its unique representation, this artwork becomes a powerful expression of identity, resilience, and the ability to redefine conventional forms.