Chaim Gross — Study for Acrobats (Reclining and Balancing Figure) (1949)

Chaim Gross, Study for Acrobats (Reclining and Balancing Figure) (1949)

Date: 1949
Medium: Pen and ink
Dimensions: 14 x 11 in.
Signature: right bottom "Chaim Gross"

This pen-and-ink study presents two female figures: a reclining base figure supporting a smaller balancing figure elevated on her palm. Rendered with Gross’s characteristic continuous, economical line, the drawing captures both the playfulness and physicality that define his acrobatic compositions. The contrast between the relaxed lower figure and the poised, outstretched upper figure highlights Gross’s sensitivity to gesture, balance, and human connection.

As part of Gross’s ongoing exploration of stacked and partnered forms, this study reveals the artist’s sculptural thinking in two-dimensional form—testing posture, weight distribution, and expressive movement. Preserved in the VLAF Collection, it contributes to a deeper understanding of Gross’s figurative vocabulary during the late 1940s.