Photograph by Ed Pollard, Hasselblad H4D50 - 2013.

Untitled (Man Ray)

Artist William Wegman (American, b. 1943)

CultureAmerican

Date1979

MediumGelatin silver print with ink

DimensionsOverall, Image: 13 1/8 × 10 9/16 in. (33.3 × 26.8 cm)
Overall, Support: 20 1/8 × 17 1/4 in. (51.1 × 43.8 cm)
Overall, Mat: 24 × 20 1/2 in. (61 × 52.1 cm)

Credit LineMuseum purchase

Object number82.108

Not on view

DescriptionThis is a gelatin silver print with ink additions drawn on; it shows a close-up of a Weimaraner dog's face with glasses, a goatee and a moustache drawn over the image. In the background, a chain-link fence is visible.

Label TextWilliam Wegman American (b. 1943) Man Ray, 1979 Gelatin silver print with ink Museum Purchase 82.108 At first glance, this image appears to be merely a doodle on a photograph. One responds with humor to a dog with glasses, moustache, and goatee. However, this hybrid pedigree has ancestors that assure its credibility for those knowledgeable about the dog, the artist, and the history of art. When William Wegman purchased this Weimaraner he wanted to name him Bauhaus after the famous art school founded in Weimar, Germany. But, the plump dog with gray coloration did not have the well-defined lines and sharp contrast of colors advocated by the Bauhaus philosophy. Wegman decided to call him Man Ray after the Surrealist artist. The artist Man Ray said that he photographed only what he could not paint. In contrast, Wegman says that he paints what he cannot photograph. But, both artists have manipulated the traditional photograph to transform it into something more. The way that things transform possesses a fascination for Wegman. He evokes change by drawing on his photographs and by dressing Man Ray in various costumes. Some of the disguises in which Man Ray has appeared are as an Airedale, a frog, a raccoon, a Frenchman, and even as a bag lady. Wegman's sense of humor and Man Ray's willingness to perform have combined to create a 12-year chronicle of both the artist and model through both photographs and videotapes. Exhibition History"Photographs from the Chrysler Museum," The Chrysler Museum, Norfolk, Va., Feb. 26 - April 23, 1989. "The Portrait in America," The Alice R. and Sol B. Frank Photography Galleries, The Chrysler Museum, Norfolk, Va., Jan. 26 - April 8, 1990. "Silver Images: The Photography Collection at 25," Alice R. and Sol B. Frank Photo Galleries, Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Va., November 5, 2003 - August 2004. "The Nexus," Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, Virginia Beach, VA, January 25 - April 28, 2013. "Man's Best Friends," Selden Arcade, Norfolk, VA, August 27 - October 19, 2013.Published ReferencesTeresa Annas, "New prints add much to Chrysler Photo Gallery," _The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star_ (December 26, 1982). Brooks Johnson, _The Portrait in America_, exh. cat., The Chrysler Museum, Norfolk, Va., 1990, 10, 60 Jeff Harrison, _Collecting with Vision: Treasures From the Chrysler Museum of Art_ (London: D. Giles Ltd., 2007), 120, fig. 146. ISBN: 978-0-940744-72-1