47. There was an Old Woman

47a.

Title: There Was an Old Woman
Date: 1974
Subject: Visual representation of nursery rhyme “There Was an Old Woman:”

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe,
She had so many children she didn’t know what to do!
So she gave them some broth without any bread,
And she whipped them all soundly and sent them to bed!

Measurements: 8 1/16” W x 6 1/16” H
Materials and Techniques: White paper board, cutouts from reproduction postcards and/or art books, glass covering, masking tape frame
Description: A nude, reclining woman (Nude on a Couch, 1915, Auguste Renoir, French, Limoges 1841-1919 Cagnes-sur-Mer, Tate) reclines in a giant shoe (A Pair of Leather Clogs, 1888, Vincent van Gogh, Dutch, Zundert 1853-1890 Auvers-sur-Oise, Vincent Van Gogh Museum). A small baby is seated on the toe of the shoe and images of babies’ faces (Madonna mit Heiligen, 1497, Andrea Mantegna, Italian, Isola di Carturo 1430-1506 Mantua, Private Collection) hover above.
Signed: “Norman S. Green ’74” written in pen on front right-hand corner (partially obscured by tape frame)
Note: From the Pictorial Puzzler Series. Title and figures identified on back: hand written and typed on a label.