The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 24, 2024

Mother Europe Cares for Her Colonies

Mother Europe Cares for Her Colonies

1925
(American, 1895–1946)
America, 20th century
gelatin silver print of a collage
Image: 16.1 x 12.3 cm (6 5/16 x 4 13/16 in.); Paper: 18.7 x 13.4 cm (7 3/8 x 5 1/4 in.)
John L. Severance Fund 2007.96
© Estate of László Moholy-Nagy / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Location: not on view

Description

For Moholy-Nagy, the densely packed variation of collage that he termed fotoplastik (photosculpture) comprising mounted fragments of photographs "assembled on one plane . . . making for easier intelligibility, even revelation of an otherwise hidden meaning." He considered a fotoplastik finished only when seen in reproduction, such as the photograph here. This work is known under two titles, Birthmark Salome (Muttermal Salome) and Mother Europe Cares for Her Colonies. The latter is an overtly political reflection of anti-colonialist sentiments. Ironically, the picture shows two Africans, not a European. The washing of the child is indeed a caring act, although one he does not appear to appreciate.
  • Family of Otto Eisner, Brno, Czech Republic
    May 4, 2000
    (Sotheby's, London, May 4, 2000, no. 161, sold to David Raymond)
    2000-2007
    David Raymond [b.1979], New York, NY
    2007-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Cleveland Museum of Art, Tom E. Hinson, Ian Walker, and Lisa Kurzner. Forbidden Games: Surrealist and Modernist Photography : the David Raymond Collection in the Cleveland Museum of Art. 2014. Mentioned: p. 74; reproduced: p. 75; reproduced and mentioned: p. 228.
    Schaffner, Ingrid, Julien Levy, and Colin Westerbeck. Accommodations of Desire: Surrealist Works on Paper Collected by Julien Levy. Pasadena, Calif: Curatorial Assistance, Inc, 2004. Reproduced: p. 80; mentioned: p. 123.
    Moholy-Nagy, László, Klemens Gruber, Oliver A. I. Botar, and Frantiések Kalivoda. Telehor: mezinárodní casopis pro visuální kulturu = Internationale Zeitschrift für visuelle Kultur = the international review new vision = revue internationale pour la culture visuelle. 2011. Reproduced and mentioned: p. 101.
  • Forbidden Games: Surrealist and Modernist Photography. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 19, 2014-January 11, 2015).
    Accommodations of Desire: Surrealist Works on Paper Collected by Julien Levy. Palmer Museum of Art (September 14-December 5, 2004); McMullen Museum of Art, Boston College, MA (January 16-March 27, 2005); Crocker Art Museum, Sacaramento, CA (July 9-September 11, 2005); Portland Museum of Art (January 1-March 19, 2006).
  • {{cite web|title=Mother Europe Cares for Her Colonies|url=false|author=László Moholy-Nagy|year=1925|access-date=24 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2007.96