Puellae, Bronze sculpture at National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, United States.
Puellae is a bronze sculpture group that depicts multiple human figures arranged in a formation at the National Gallery of Art. The work was cast in bronze and creates a composition of standing forms that engages with themes of human existence.
Artist Magdalena Abakanowicz created this work in 1982 in response to her experiences in post-war Eastern Europe. The sculpture found its permanent home in the garden in 1992.
The figures in this group speak to togetherness and individual identity at the same time. Visitors notice how each form feels distinct even though they stand together as one.
The sculpture garden is open to the public and can be visited during regular operating hours. Weekday mornings are often less crowded, making it easier to view the work up close.
Each individual figure in the group displays different physical features even though the artist used similar casting methods for all of them. This subtle variation shows that no two people are truly alike, even within a unified group.
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