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Slumber Party

A work made of oil on canvas.
© Eric Fischl

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  • A work made of oil on canvas.

Date:

1983

Artist:

Eric Fischl
American, born 1948

About this artwork

Eric Fischl’s paintings depict scenes from everyday life, including backyard barbeques, beach vacations, and
domestic dramas. These seemingly innocuous moments become venues for psychologically charged themes such as the loss of innocence, impulsive behavior, and the transience of life. In Slumber Party a young boy and girl in various states of undress prepare for bed. The boy appears absorbed by the television rather than by the girl behind him. While this could be simply a benign bedtime ritual, we cannot shake the question of what will happen next. The painting’s dark, erotically ambiguous narrative engages a tradition of American noir, from the canvases of Edward Hopper to the films of David Lynch.

Status

On View, Gallery 296

Department

Contemporary Art

Artist

Eric Fischl

Title

Slumber Party

Place

United States (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1983

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

213.4 × 274.3 cm (84 × 108 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Edlis Neeson Collection

Reference Number

2015.145

Copyright

© Eric Fischl

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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