Name/Title
Lady Holds Her TigerEntry/Object ID
2017.3.5Description
Lady Holds Her Tiger depicts a nude female figure holding a green tiger within a saturated outdoor landscape. The tigers in Dial's pieces are often symbolic of Dial himself and aspects of the African American male experience. The tigers are portrayed as the energetic element of the composition; praising and frolicking around the women in his pieces, curling in the presence of those women, and exposing their underbellies for feminine consumption, as well as masculine satisfaction. This was intended to portray men as being strong, stealthy, and subtly dangerous, much like a wild tiger, while simultaneously succumbing to the seductions of women, serving them, and ultimately being domesticated by them. Having been raised by women, Dial depicted them as sexual, strong, and nurturing figures. Often, the female subjects in his paintings are seen coddling animals, representing the feminine care and emotional support given to men within the dynamics of romantic relationships.Artwork Details
Medium
Paper, Watercolor Paint, pencilCollection
Southern Vernacular Art CollectionAcquisition
Accession
2017.3Source or Donor
Hill, Lou and CalynneAcquisition Method
GiftMade/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Dial, Thornton Sr.Role
ArtistDate made
1990Dimensions
Height
22 inWidth
30-1/4 inInterpretative Labels
Label
Thornton Dial, Sr. (1928-2016)
Thornton Dial, Sr. is the most famous vernacular artist from the Southeast, whose work has shattered the art world's notion of "folk" and "outsider" art. Although Dial has never had any education or art training and is from a rural town in Alabama, his work touches on themes of racial inequality, struggles in a modern world, and relationships between men and women, themes that resonate with audiences around the world.Created By
admin@catalogit.appCreate Date
January 25, 2017