John La Farge

Art Historical Context

This bronze portrait by Edith Woodman Burroughs captures the American artist John La Farge in a moment of quiet contemplation. Created in 1908, the sculpture reflects the early twentieth-century interest in intimate, character-driven likenesses that went beyond mere physical resemblance to suggest inner thought and creative spirit. La Farge, celebrated for his innovations in stained glass and mural painting, appears here as both subject and fellow artist, underscoring the close-knit community of American creators at the time. Cast in bronze—a medium prized for its durability and capacity to hold intricate surface detail—the work measures just over sixteen inches high, inviting close viewing. Its presence in the Metropolitan Museum’s American Wing highlights the institution’s early commitment to preserving the nation’s artistic heritage; the piece entered the collection in 1910 through the Rogers Fund, only two years after its completion and shortly before La Farge’s death. Burroughs’s sensitive modeling conveys both the weight of La Farge’s achievements and a sense of personal reflection, making the sculpture a compelling tribute from one artist to another within the broader story of American art.