Chana Orloff

Chana Orloff carved figures from wood, stone, and bronze in Paris during the 1920s–30s, blending Art Deco lines with folk rhythms from her childhood in Ukraine. In her woodcut portrait of Zina, the grain of the block becomes part of the sitter’s hair; the same curving planes show up again in the bronze Reclining Woman. If you like the way Orloff turns everyday gestures into rhythmic shapes, tap the Art Deco movement tile to see more sculptors who shared her sharp, economical style.