Study for a Large Painting

Beginning in the 1960s Mangold drew and painted floors - parquet, linoleum, and wood slat. Observation of her immediate surroundings and a penchant for realism were the foundations of her art, and these floor pieces were direct studies of a number of New York apartments where she lived and worked. Picking a specific space, Mangold would depict every detail of the floor, from the wood grain to scuff marks and knotholes. In 1974 she said, "The pattern of the floor was my structure. The structure was calculated and drawn first. The painting of the wood grain was spontaneous and true to the organic forms of nature. I had it in my mind that this combination of geometry and nature were important to me." Floors provided the perfect opportunity for explorations of perception and illusion. Often rendering corners, as here, she drew the floor in perspective from a low vantage point, creating a sense of flatness and closeness.