Mask of Katherine Seney Simpson (Mrs. John W. Simpson)

1902

Auguste Rodin

Associated Names
Auguste Rodin

Sculptor, French, 1840 - 1917

The sculpture depicts the face of a man with realistic and detailed features: prominent eyebrows, deep-set eyes, a straight nose, and slightly pursed lips. The sculpture is made from a light gray material, likely plaster or a similar substance, giving it a smooth surface. The head is truncated above the forehead and at the neck, with textured hair suggesting short waves. The sculpture appears to be a classical bust, focusing on the facial features and expression.

Media Options

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On View

West Building Ground Floor, Gallery G1

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    plaster

  • Credit Line

    Gift of Mrs. John W. Simpson

  • Dimensions

    overall: 17.8 x 19.5 x 15.3 cm (7 x 7 11/16 x 6 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1942.5.21

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Gift 1909 from the artist to Mr. and Mrs. John W. Simpson, New York; gift 1942 to NGA.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1946

  • Rodin: Sculpture, Drawings, Prints, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1946, no. 13, as Study Mask.

1965

  • Wax Sculptures by Degas, Sculptures and Drawings by Rodin, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1965-1966, no cat.

1981

  • Rodin Rediscovered, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1981-1982, no. 76.

2011

  • Rodin and America: Influence and Adaptation, 1876-1936, Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts, Stanford University, 2011-2012, fig. 216.

Bibliography

1965

  • Summary Catalogue of European Paintings and Sculpture. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1965: 169.

1968

  • National Gallery of Art. European Paintings and Sculpture, Illustrations. Washington, 1968: 149, repro.

1994

  • Sculpture: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1994: 205, repro.

2000

  • Butler, Ruth, and Suzanne Glover Lindsay, with Alison Luchs, Douglas Lewis, Cynthia J. Mills, and Jeffrey Weidman. European Sculpture of the Nineteenth Century. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. Washington, D.C., 2000: 368, 370-372, color repro.

Inscriptions

on left side of chin in graphite: Mme K Simpson esquisse pour le portrait / 12 septembre 1909 / A. Rodin

Wikidata ID

Q63809282

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