‘Sculpto-paintings’
In the early years of his artistic career, Alexander Archipenko mainly investigates the plastic possibilities of the sculpture and the effects of concave and convex, open and closed forms. For this, he uses a wide variety of materials, such as wood, glass, plaster, metal and papier-mâché. He often paints his sculptures, which he then calls ‘sculpto-paintings’.
Geometric shapes
After studying in Kyiv and Moscow, Archipenko travels to Paris in 1908. There he studies at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, but develops his art mainly by studying works at the Louvre. Influenced by Egyptian art and primitive African sculpture, he makes sculptures with highly reduced, geometric shapes, in combination with harmonious, flowing lines.
Graceful
In this Torso he emphasizes the elegance of the female body. The legs and lower body are disproportionately elongated compared to the upper body. Through an extreme twist of the body on its axis, and by placing one leg in front of the other, he creates an exceptionally graceful sculpture.