My PeTit Project - Beauty of Human Body in Public Art Around the World: June 2012

Murphy Sculpture Garden is located on the campus of University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), and presents a collections of of more than 70 sculptures - many of then nudes - of world famous artists. Franklin Murphy was the dean of UCLA for eight years, and was influenced by the public art of great European cities.It's a tranquil and beautiful setting, and is considered one of the most comprehensive outdoor sculpture collections in USA.

This set of bas reliefs by Henry Matisse, created in 1909, 1913, 1916 and 1930, practically illustrates the evolution of the depiction of female body over the firsts half of 20th century - from more or less realistic to abstract and sometimes non-comprehensible. Luckily, the real beauty of human body is abundantly represented in Murphy culpture Garden.

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Below is a sculpture by Gaston Lachaise - Standing Women. The model, and the inspiration of many of his sculptures was Isabel Nagle, an American woman ten years his senior. The 23 years old Gaston followed than married Isabel to America, and finally married her 12 years later.

Standing Woman, 1932, by Gaston Lachaise.

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William Zorach (Zorach Gorfinkel), an American artist, was born in 1889 in a Jewish Family in Lithuania.The sculpture below is a gpood example of his compact, monumental style.

Victory, William Zorach, 1960

Torso, Aristide Maillol, 1938

Freya, 1949, Gerhard Marcks

Maya, 1941,Gerhard Marcks

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Queen of Sheba, 1961, Alexander Averchenko

Automne, 1948, Henri Laurens

Desnudo Reclinadom, 1970, Francisco Zuniga

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Canadian sculptor, painter, illustrator playwright, and a poet, Sorel Etrog was born in Romanis in 1933. His family moved to Israel in 1950 where he studied painting and sculpture. Etrog eventually moved to Canada, his work being extensively exhibited around the world.

Mother and Child, 1964, Sorel Etrog

Mulier, Eric Gill, British

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It is sometimes difficult to decipher Henry Moor, but THEY are always there

Two-piece reclining figure, No 3, 1961, Henry Moore

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Mother with Child at her hip, 1979, Francisco Zuniga

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Robert Grahm (10389-2008) was a American sculptor who was based in California. His bronze sculpture are featured in public places across the United States, very many of them in and around Los Angeles. UCLA has a pretty big collection of his work, mostly featured in Rolfe Courtyard near Murphy Garden.