The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of April 16, 2024
The Magic Garden
c. 1950s
(Czech, 1896–1976)
Image: 12.6 x 16.9 cm (4 15/16 x 6 5/8 in.); Paper: 17.7 x 23.9 cm (6 15/16 x 9 7/16 in.); Matted: 35.6 x 45.7 cm (14 x 18 in.)
Location: not on view
Description
This lyrical image comes from one of Sudek's most inventive bodies of work—photographs of gardens. During World War II, he began this exploration by photographing his own small garden through a misty window pane; later, he added the gardens of his friends. From 1945 to 1960, Sudek photographed the architect Otto Rothmayer's garden, calling the series The Magic Garden. In this example, Sudek orchestrated a complex composition featuring chairs (one of his favorite motifs) and three large rocks. With transforming skill, he was able to humanize these inanimate objects, giving them distinctive personalities.- Cleveland Museum of Art, Tom E Hinson. Catalogue of Photography. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1996. Reproduced: P. 349
- CMA, November 20,1996 - February 2, 1997: "Legacy of Light: Master Photographs from the Cleveland Museum of Art."Legacy of Light: Master Photographs from the Cleveland Museum of Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 24, 1996-February 2, 1997).
- {{cite web|title=The Magic Garden|url=false|author=Josef Sudek|year=c. 1950s|access-date=16 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1991.161