The Mantis

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The Mantis is a pivotal piece created by Germaine Richier, showcasing her second representation of a woman-insect, crafted shortly after The Spider I and The Bat. Richier frequently incorporated real insects into her sculptures, citing their influence as a means to infuse truth into even the most imaginative works. The Mantis has often been viewed as a feminist icon due to its notorious male-cannibalism, a characteristic that may be reinforced by Richier's close relationships with influential thinkers like Colette and Nathalie Sarraute. Through her art, Germaine Richier solidifies her position within the Surrealist movement following World War II: her use of monstrous and hybrid figures is quintessential to surrealist works, which drew inspiration from the subconscious.