The artwork titled “Hand (Tribute to Ingres)” was created by the artist Abidin Dino in 1980. It is recognized for its affiliation with the Surrealism movement, despite its figurative nature. This creation pays homage to painter Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, known for his expressive distortions of the human form.
Upon examination of the artwork, one observes a circular canvas that features a study of a hand, rendered with a stylistic approach reminiscent of Surrealist aesthetics. The hand appears to be enlarged, occupying almost the entire canvas, with fingers and thumbs folded inward in a manner that evokes a sense of fluidity and organic movement. The palette consists of warm tones, with the hand itself highlighted in soft off-white and beige, surrounded by a ring of deep, earthy tones that create a striking contrast.
The elongation and curving of the hand and fingers suggest a certain playful elasticity, which could potentially be an allusion to Ingres’ tendency to elongate figures for elegant and refined compositions. Furthermore, the work’s outline has a gentle quality, with subtle shading that provides depth and a sense of volume to the hand, a notable departure from the more sharp and linear quality present in much of Ingres’ neoclassical work, yet still in line with the tribute. The background is minimal, emphasizing the hand as the focal point. In this manner, Dino’s “Hand (Tribute to Ingres)” may be seen as both an homage to and a reinterpretation of Ingres’ artistic legacy through the lens of Surrealism.
