Wallis Simpson with Chinese Sculpture (Primary Title)
Man Ray, American, 1890 - 1976 (Artist)
For her portrait session with Man Ray in March 1936, Wallis Simpson wore a black dress with a white-beaded trim specially made for her by the American-born fashion designer Mainbocher. Since Mainbocher’s design was inspired by a traditional Chinese cheongsam dress, Man Ray included extra space to her right for a photomontage addition of a Chinese sculpture representing a Buddhist deity known as a Heavenly King (Tianwang in Chinese). A variant of this photograph that was reproduced in the May 1936 issue of Harper’s Bazaar magazine, in which the guardian figure is greatly enlarged, confirms that Man Ray used a polychrome glazed ceramic sculpture from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The juxtaposition of the American socialite with the Chinese sculpture alludes to her travels alone in China between early 1924 and the summer of 1925, but the presence of a warrior-like guardian figure may also reflect Man Ray’s desire to offer a form of divine protection for Wallis during the scandal that would inevitably erupt when she returned from Paris to divorce her husband and marry King Edward VIII.
Arthur and Margaret Glasgow Endowment
Man Ray: The Paris Years, VMFA, October 30, 2021 – February 21, 2022
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.