Artwork Page for Mandrake

Details / Information for Mandrake

Mandrake

1951
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Theodore Roszak

(American, born Kingdom of Prussia [now Poland], 1907–1981)
Culture
America, New York
Medium
steel brazed with copper
Measurements
Overall: 64.7 x 101.6 x 29.8 cm (25 1/2 x 40 x 11 3/4 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of the Cleveland Society for Contemporary Art 1964.4
Copyright
© Estate of Theodore Roszak / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY
This artwork is known to be under copyright.
Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

According to Medieval European folklore, a mandrake root would scream when pulled from the ground, killing anyone who heard it.

Description

Theodore Roszak’s Mandrake is named after a highly toxic plant long associated with magic and witchcraft. According to the artist, the sculpture visualizes "poison growth" and embodies such concepts as “evil intentions” and “the flowering of destructive forces.”
A dark brown sculpture of steel and copper consists of symmetrical, jagged forms with a pitted, crusty texture. Two thick arms stretch horizontally, while thin, serrated spikes jut upward and out. A central vertical column culminates in flame-like protrusions above a horizontal, textured band. The weathered, sharp-edged structure stands atop a rectangular base, with light highlights revealing the rough surface of overlapping metal pieces.

Mandrake

1951

Theodore Roszak

(American, born Kingdom of Prussia [now Poland], 1907–1981)
America, New York

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