American Art Collaborative

Richmond Barthé was a twentieth-century African American sculptor who studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In the 1930s, he had joined a modern dance group to further enrich his study of the body, as it became a recurring motif in his art. In this sculpture, Barthé depicts a nude dancer performing and emphasizes the harmonious tension between precision and grace. The encircling movement of the arms compliments the graceful and natural turning of the hips as the figure shifts his weight from one leg to another. The dancer’s downward gaze points to a performance of poignant self-expression. Inner Music beautifully and subtly creates a sense of accord and synchrony between interior feelings and dance.—Briana Williams ’19