Solon H. Borglum, born Ogden, UT - Swimming Nude, The Plunge - n.d. - T-Shirt

A fine line study of two nude figures stretched across a horizontal sheet, drawn in pencil on cream paper by sculptor Solon Borglum.

Visual Elements & Composition

Cream paper fills nearly the whole sheet, with dark pencil lines and pale graphite grey shading the figures. The larger figure enters from the left edge, one leg bent and the foot extended. A second figure lies lower and to the right, one arm reaching toward the far edge. The outlines are delicate and unshaded, with only a few short strokes marking the joints and the curve of the torso. Open paper surrounds the forms, so the bodies carry the entire picture.

Meaning & Symbolism

The title The Plunge points to the instant before a swimmer breaks the water, when the body is held horizontal and fully extended. Two figures in one horizontal band create movement across the picture plane, and their overlapping limbs show how one body reads against another. Studies like this let a sculptor test how several forms relate in space, a question that any group composition demands. Solon Hannibal Borglum (1868-1922) was born in Ogden, Utah, and became known for animal and figurative sculpture. He was the brother of Gutzon Borglum, later known for Mount Rushmore. The original sheet is held in the Smithsonian American Art Museum collection.

On the Tee

A study drawn to work out spacing is built for a wide, open field, and this crew neck gives the drawing that field. The figures run edge to edge across the chest, so the reclining bodies and extended limbs read as one continuous motion as you move. The unshaded line work stays light against the shirt, letting the diving pose stand out as the focal point of the wearer's outfit.