Portrait of Ralph Dusenberry is a mixed media artwork created by Arthur Dove in 1924. Dove, recognized as the first American artist to have created purely nonrepresentational imagery, created about thirty collages and assemblages between 1924 and 1930, several of which were symbolic portraits.
This artwork measures 22 × 18 inches and is categorized by the Metropolitan Museum of Art as “Decorative & Applied Illustration.” It is part of the Alfred Stieglitz Collection. The painting is also featured on an Arthur Dove-themed art print available for purchase.
The artwork is a mixed media piece created using oil, folding wooden rulers, wood, and cut-and-pasted printed paper on canvas. Dove took pleasure in the tactile, textural quality of diverse materials in his works. Portrait of Ralph Dusenberry is one such symbolic portrait. Overall, the piece showcases Dove’s artistic exploration of non-representational imagery, highlighting his use of unconventional materials and techniques.
