Artwork
Men in Agony
Men in Agony is an ink print by Arthur B. Davies. It dates from 1920 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Arthur B.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right in graphite: Arthur B. Davies; lower right verso in graphite by unknown hand: Gi 41.3
About this work
Overview
Arthur B. Davies’ 1920 print, titled Men in Agony, presents three nude male figures rendered in stark black on a light‑toned wove paper. The composition arranges the bodies in varied, contorted poses that suggest physical and emotional strain, while the overall effect is one of stark contrast between line and ground.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays three men in states of distress: a bent figure with a lowered head, a supine figure with limbs drawn upward, and a side‑lying figure supporting his head on an arm. Their nudity and exaggerated postures convey a universal sense of vulnerability and inner turmoil, aligning with Davies’ interest in symbolic expression.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph combined with lithotint, the piece employs bold, fluid lines and subtle shading to model the bodies. The lithotint process adds a velvety tonal depth beneath the inked outlines, while the loose, expressive drawing style imparts a dynamic sense of movement despite the static tableau.
History & Provenance
Created in 1920, Men in Agony belongs to the later period of Davies’ career, during which he was a prominent advocate for modern art in America. The print reflects his continued exploration of symbolic themes before his death in 1928, and it remains documented in collections that focus on early twentieth‑century American prints.
Context
Davies, a leading figure in the American avant‑garde from roughly 1910 onward, used this work to engage with contemporary concerns about the human condition. The stark monochrome palette and emotive poses echo broader modernist tendencies toward abstraction and psychological depth that were prevalent in the post‑World‑War I artistic climate.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Arthur Bowen Davies (September 26, 1862 – October 24, 1928) was an avant-garde American artist and influential advocate of modern art in the United States c. 1910–1928.
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