Ladies In Profile

Barley, a dog, is viewed in profile as she relaxes on a sofa with her bone. Behind her, a sculpture of a nude woman, black with golden accents, holds a sphere and faces in the same direction.

My parents have had this statue for as long as I can remember (though not nearly as long as I’ve been alive, I don’t think), and like all objects one grows up with, it’s something I have always taken entirely for granted. This was no doubt further supported by various threads of art history & art enthusiasm among my relatives, leading to many visits to museums of fine arts. It was only in 5th grade, when a friend from school came over to my house for the first time for a birthday party, that someone my age made me aware that I had a naked lady in my living room!

Barley, by contrast, is dressed in a much more reserved fashion, practically fully dressed. She is, after all, wearing her collar.