Female Torso II 1962

William Brice created this lithograph titled Female Torso II. The female form has historically been one of the most represented subjects in Western art. Here, Brice echoes classical sculpture through his focus on the torso. In antiquity, these sculptures were viewed as the ideal of beauty and perfection. In contrast, Brice’s work is more raw and abstracted. The print encourages us to consider how representations of women in art often carry complex and sometimes contradictory meanings. A nude form can be both an object of desire, and a symbol of vulnerability and strength. The high contrast and minimal detail forces us to focus on the essential elements of the body. Perhaps it asks us to question how we look, and what we see. The female body is not simply an aesthetic object, but a vessel of stories, experiences, and histories.