Loper 2 1923 - 1925

This is Saar de Swart’s bronze sculpture 'Loper 2'. The sculpture’s overall form is compact, with softly modeled figures creating a unified visual experience. De Swart uses bronze to create an interplay of light and shadow, which enhances the figures' volume and presence. The rough, textured surface suggests a certain primitive aesthetic. Semiotically, the bronze material itself is significant: it refers to tradition but is also very material. The choice of subject matter, a figure with child, may allude to traditional images of maternity. Yet, the execution destabilizes any sentimental reading through the abstraction of form and simplification of detail. This blending of traditional themes with modern artistic handling reflects a broader move within early 20th-century sculpture towards exploring new forms of expression while retaining symbolic connection to human subjects.