Mrs. Schuyler Van Rensselaer (Mariana Griswold)
1888, cast 1890
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
20 3/8 x 7 3/4 in. (51.8 x 19.7 cm)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Schuyler Van Rensselaer, 1917
Accession Number
17.104
Tags
Art Historical Context
Augustus Saint-Gaudens *Mrs. Schuyler Vanselaer (Marianawold)*, created in 1888 and in bronze in 1890, is a masterful portrait relief that captures the elegance of its sitter. Measuring just over 20 inches high, this intimate medallion showcases Saint-Gaudens's extraordinary skill in low-relief sculpture, blending classical precision with a lively sense of personality. The artist, a leading figure in American sculpture from the late 19th century, was renowned for his portrait reliefs of prominent society figures, drawing inspiration from Renaissance medal traditions while infusing them with di...
About the Artist
Augustus Saint-Gaudens · 1848–1907
Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848–1907) was an Irish-born American sculptor widely regarded as the greatest American sculptor of the nineteenth century. Born in Dublin to a French father and Irish mother, he was brought to New York City as an infant. He trained as a cameo cutter, studied at the Cooper Union and the National Academy of Design, and then traveled to Paris, where he studied at the École de...