I Saw Three Cities by Kay Sage (Interpretation and Analysis)

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I Saw Three Cities
Source: Princeton University Art Museum
I have written about many Surrealist artists on this blog, but few of them have been American. While the Surrealist movement is undoubtedly associated with places like Mexico, France, and Spain, there was also a flourishing Surrealist movement in the United States, populated by painters like Kay Sage.

Sage is probably one of the most well-known painters of her time. She achieved great success during her lifetime and was recognized in both American and European artistic circles, and she was even included in the famous Exhibition by 31 Women. Like most Surrealists, Sage sought to explore the hidden world of the unconscious through her art. At its core, Surrealism revolves around a desire to reveal things that are concealed.

Sage enters this realm in I Saw Three Cities. The piece is enigmatic, offering few clues to the identity or significance of the titular three cities. It depicts a grey sky and a windswept, beige landscape dotted with strange, geometric structures. A tall, structural form that is draped in a white cloth dominates the center of the painting. While this figure is non-human, according to my research it represents the “the artist’s fascination with automatons and other mechanical devices made in imitation of human beings,” which is set adrift in a barren landscape that represents the unconscious mind.

Taken together, the piece conjures a sense of the uncanny, quietly sinister. While it is not a comfortable piece to view, it is stately in its composition, with the forms and lines clearly inspired by classical art. It is likely that this element of her style was influenced by her childhood in Rome Painted during World War II, it is possible that the destructive forces that gripped the world influenced the piece.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.

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