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Preview image of work. pink Tennessee marble,  Bust of Marguerite Zorach 9547

1985.35

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Bust of Marguerite Zorach

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Artist

William Zorach, h 1958 (Eurburick-Kovno, Lithuania, 1889 - 1966, Bath, Maine)

Title

Bust of Marguerite Zorach

Creation Date

1924-1926

Century

20th century

Dimensions

18 5/8 in. x 9 3/8 in. x 11 1/2 in. (47.31 cm x 23.81 cm x 29.21 cm)

Classification

Sculpture

Creation Place

North America, United States

Medium and Support

pink Tennessee marble

Credit Line

Museum Purchase, Lloyd O. and Marjorie Strong Coulter Fund

Copyright

This artwork may be under copyright. For further information, please consult the Museum’s Copyright Terms and Conditions.

Accession Number

1985.35

William Zorach was one of a small number of American sculptors who broke with academic tradition and embraced modernism during the volatile period between the two world wars. This idealized bust portrait of his wife Marguerite, an equally accomplished artist, was Zorach’s first important sculpture, begun only a year after he took up the chisel. He employed the method of “direct carving,” working without preparatory studies, guided by the inherent possibilities of the stone and the careful observation of the model. In its day, this commanding portrait bust epitomized a contemporary classicism that aimed for authenticity and purity of form through references to archaic Greek sculpture. Yet by leaving rough chisel marks on the sculpture’s surface, particularly in the bust’s hair, Zorach had also established a modern sculptural language that acknowledged the artistic process.

Additional Media

Additional Image 1985.35.jpg
1985.35.jpg
Additional Image 3/4 Right front
3/4 Right front
Additional Image Right side
Right side
Additional Image 3/4 Left front
3/4 Left front


Keywords: portraits   artist's family   figurative   head   Maine Art   Portrait   woman