Arshile Gorky’s painting “The Liver Is the Cock’s Comb” is a blend of Cubism and Surrealism. The painting features biomorphic forms that suggest plants or human viscera floating over an indeterminate background of melting colors. Gorky’s aim was to communicate his painful childhood experience of the Armenian Genocide through his unique approach to color and form.
The liver symbolized the soul and passion of the artist in ancient times, while “Cock’s comb” refers to a flowering plant, a jester’s cap, and a fool. The painting was exhibited in the surrealists’ swansong show in Paris, demonstrating Gorky’s fondness for organic forms loosely based in nature and sumptuous colors.
“The Liver Is the Cock’s Comb” is one of Gorky’s largest and most noteworthy paintings, housed at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, New York. The serigraph version of the painting is available for purchase. Overall, the painting is a powerful representation of Gorky’s personal history and a distinct blend of artistic styles.
