Wilhelm Hunt Diederich (American, born Hungary, 1884–1953)
Made by the Art Metal and Iron Company
New York
Wolf and Goat Fire Screen
INV-1513
Wilhelm Hunt Diederich (American, born Hungary, 1884–1953)
Made by the Art Metal and Iron Company
New York1917–20
Wolf and Goat Fire Screen
Wilhelm Hunt Diederich (American, born Hungary, 1884–1953) Made by the Art Metal and Iron Company New York →ModernismArt Decofurniture accessoryamerican decorative arts
Date
1917–20
Medium
Cut steel, wrought iron, and steel mesh
Dimensions
85.1 × 113.7 × 27 cm (33 1/2 × 44 3/4 × 10 5/8 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Purchased with funds provided by Marilyn Karsten in honor of her children: Lesley, Thomas Jr., Liza, and Timothy Karsten
William Hunt Diedrich consistently sought to capture dynamic imagery in his works, most often through compositions featuring animals engaged in combat or play. This fire screen represents one of the artist’s most powerful realizations of this goal. Against a finely wrought background of wire mesh, a cut-steel wolf and goat are entwined in a circular dance of death. The jagged edges of the animals’ tails and fur not only add to the malevolence of their combat but also function as the tabs that attach the silhouettes to the screen. The wavelike rhythm of the screen adds to the dramatic impression of continuous movement.
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