The Head of Mrs. Russell
modeled ca. 1890, cast before 1912
Medium
Cast plaster
Dimensions
Height (wt. confirmed): 10 7/8 in., 5.1 lb. (27.6 cm, 2.3 kg)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Auguste Rodin, 1912
Accession Number
12.12.6
Tags
Art Historical Context
Auguste Rodin's *The Head of Mrs. Russell*, modeled around 1890 and cast in plaster before 1912, captures the intimate essence of portraiture in a compact form measuring just 10⅞ inches tall. As a French sculptor at the height of his career, Rodin revolutionized sculpture with his Impressionist-inspired approach, emphasizing raw emotion, dynamic surfaces, and psychological depth over classical idealism. This bust exemplifies his skill in rendering the human head—marked by tags of "Heads," "Portraits," and "Women"—with textured plaster that mimics the play of light on skin, evoking lifelike vit...
About the Artist
Auguste Rodin · 1840–1917
François Auguste René Rodin (1840-1917) stands as the founder of modern sculpture, transforming the art form from academic tradition into expressive modernism. Born into a working-class Parisian family, Rodin faced early rejection, failing three times to gain admission to the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts. This setback forced him to work as a craftsman for nearly two decades, though his 1875 tr...