Angel of Death Over Dead Soldier

Philip Pearlstein established his reputation in the 1950s as a champion of realism and the figurative tradition at a time when abstract art dominated the American avant-garde. He is best-known for his depictions of nude models in the studio. This drawing belongs to a group of 91 early sketches in the Morgan collection that record Pearlstein's experiences in the army between 1943 and 1946, from basic training in Alabama to the daily life of G.I.'s in Italy. The drawings, most of which the artist sent home to his parents during the war, were never exhibited until 2016.