Anonymous, Madonna with Smile

For Artwork in Focus we explore individual artworks, critiquing their style and discussing their socio-political context. Today we look at Madonna with Smile by Anonymous.

About the Work

Titles : Madonna with Smile
Artist : Anonymous
Medium : Felt tip marker on sculpted wood
Dimensions : 6″ x 2″ x 1.5″
Location : Museum of Bad Art

Smiling Madonna

Everyone knows the popular subject of ‘Madonna with Child’ – paintings of Mother Mary with baby Jesus. So this anonymous artist decided to do something different – Madonna with Smile.

The work presented here is a sculpture of Mother Mary, sculpted in wood. The smile, however, is made with a felt tip marker – because who has time to sculpt facial features.

The work is a perfect fit at the Museum of Bad Art, and was in fact bought by them at a church sale in Boston. Madonna is depicted as a tall and slender figure with no bodily features apart from slight traces of arms. Her robes extend over her head as she stands on a small pedestal. her facial features are gaunt.

Other Details

Madonna with Smile is housed in the Museum of Bad Art. It is part of the museum’s collection of Oozing My Religion

To learn more about iconic artworks and their socio-political context, visit Artwork in Focus.