Missing forms might simply imply that the artist could not or did not bother to finish the piece. An artist might choose to leave out the depiction of certain forms to give the impression that the work of art is a sketch that captures a moment in time.

Missing forms might also be symbolic of missing aspects of the subject’s life. Missing hands could show an inability to act. Missing eyes could imply an unwillingness to see things as they are.

An artist might also choose to leave missing forms in order to create a sense of discomfort in a piece or to add an abstract element to an otherwise representational work.

Featured: Mrs. Samuel L. Waldo by Samuel L. Waldo.