Mirror of Illusion 1916

Arthur Bowen Davies created this etching called "Mirror of Illusion" in the early twentieth century. The flowing figures in Davies’s image seem to inhabit an Arcadian dreamscape, recalling classical myths. Davies was one of the organizers of the 1913 Armory Show in New York, which introduced European modernism to an American audience. However, here, the artist turns away from these new styles. Instead, his soft, idealized nudes recall the aesthetic of earlier academic painting. But, by choosing etching, a printmaking technique associated with graphic satire and the popular press, Davies democratizes his scene of classical beauty. He brings it out of the museum and into the world. To understand the work of an artist like Davies, we might consult sources from both art history and social history. We should reflect on the institutional politics of the art world, and how these shape our understanding of art.