ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE - Tate

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Robert Mapplethorpe Lindsay Key 1985 © Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation. Used by permission.
In the work Lindsay Key 1985, the subject looks away from the camera, perhaps to avert her face from a gust of wind; her hair and dress are caught in the breeze, her posture and bare feet highlight a playful nature. Lindsay’s pose is a natural counter pose also known as ‘contrapposto’ which gives the subject a relaxed appearance. Untypical of much of his work from this period Mapplethorpe captures this subject outside the studio. The shadows cast by the sitter create a strong contrast against her white dress while trees cast abstract shapes in the background. While Lindsay does convey an element of innocence she seems more like a little adult than a child; she appears confi dent, cool and solemn. Children have long been depicted in art. During the Renaissance, Raphael and Bellini amongst others depicted children often in relation to Christian themes. The Victorian era was a particularly rich time; the increased depiction of children was in-line with the development of the concept of childhood – a shift in attitudes created the expectation that a child’s life should be one of innocence and dependence. During this period artists such as John Everett Millais produced a number of landmark paintings of children. At the same time the photographer Julia Margaret Cameron’s Renaissanceinspired photographs depicted children as sacred and the embodiment of innocence. Mapplethorpe cited Cameron as one of his main infl uences. While they share in portraiture and depictions of innocence, it could be said that Cameron’s work is more emotionally expressive than Mapplethorpe’s. Discussion Mapplethorpe’s photographs of children have sometimes proved controversial because of the question of the subjects’ consent and the context of Mapplethorpe’s wider oeuvre. Other photographs of children in the ARTIST ROOMS collection include Honey 1976 and Eva Amurri 1988. Why might depicting a child or working with a child prompt ethical questions? What is the difference between working with an adult and child sitter? What is it about this image and other images of children by Mapplethorpe that conveys innocence? Activity The contrapposto pose is primarily associated with ancient Greek and Renaissance sculpture such as Michelangelo’s David 1504. The subject’s employment of the pose here, along with the evident motion of her left hand and right foot, extends the allusion to sculpture in Mapplethorpe’s work. Identify other examples of the contrapposto pose in sculptures and visual imagery local to you. Develop a narrative around the different subjects for a short story or visual imagery. Artist links Diane Arbus also photographed children but in her portraits the young subjects often seem troubled or vulnerable. Find out more about Diane Arbus: www.nationalgalleries.org/artistrooms
Page 1 and 2: ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE RESOURCE PACK F
Page 3: CONTENTS What is ARTIST ROOMS? 03 R
Page 6 and 7: ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE Robert Mappleth
Page 8 and 9: Robert Mapplethorpe Patti Smith 197
Page 12 and 13: PORTRAITS: ARTISTS AND CELEBRITIES
Page 14: THE BODY AND SCULPTURE Robert Mappl
Page 17 and 18: 1985, quotes Mapplethorpe as saying
Page 19 and 20: BALANCE AND UNITY Beyond ideals of
Page 21 and 22: SUMMARY Key things to think about:
Page 23 and 24: JULIA MARGARET CAMERON A British ph
Page 25: NEO-CLASSICISM The revival of a cla

ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE - Tate

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