French Sculptures

Study in the Nude of Little Dancer Aged Fourteen (Nude Little Dancer)

Edgar Degas

c. 1878-1881

Pigmented beeswax, plaster core, metal and wood armatures, on plaster and wooden bases Accession ID 1985.64.46

On View: West Building Ground Floor, Gallery G3

The sculpture depicts a large hand holding a small human torso. The hand is intricately detailed with skin texture, fingernails, and wrinkles. We see it from the side, with the wrist on the right and the fingers on the left, the back of the hand on the ground. The small torso is smooth, and it appears to be of a female body. There are no head, arms, or legs below the knee. The entire sculpture is predominantly white in color and appears to be made of a smooth material.

Hand of Rodin with a Female Figure

Auguste Rodin

1917

Plaster Accession ID 1942.5.22

On View: West Building Ground Floor, Gallery G1

Carved from white marble, the head and chest of a woman emerge from a base of rougher stone in this free-standing sculpture. In this photograph, the woman leans slightly to our left and her head tips down that way, as she looks off to our right. Her hair is loosely pulled up into a bun on top of her head. She has a straight nose, thin lips, and a square jaw. A bumpy area at the front of her low-cut bodice suggests a floral corsage. Her neck, the top of her shoulders, and her chest are polished smooth, but below the scooped neckline, the stone turns rough and parallel chisel marks are visible. Two dark veins in the marble run through the sculpture near each shoulder.

Katherine Seney Simpson (Mrs. John W. Simpson)

Auguste Rodin

1902-1903

Marble Accession ID 1942.5.16

On View: West Building Ground Floor, Gallery G2

This sculpture is of a young girl in a ballet costume standing before us with her hands clasped behind her lower back, her head tipped back, and her chin thrust forward. The skin of her face, arms, chest, and legs are covered in bronze-brown wax, and her body faces us in this photograph. The sleeveless, putty-gray bodice of her costume fits tightly above a layered, fabric, pale, tea-brown tutu, and she wears ballet shoes. Her hair is pulled back but bangs sweep across her forehead, brushing her nearly closed, heavy eyelids. Her lips are slightly parted, and light catches the broad planes of her cheekbones. Her shoulders are drawn back by her pose, holding her hands behind her with arms straight, and her hips jut slightly forward. She stands with her right foot extended in front of her, with both feet turned out, parallel to each other. She stands on a square, wood platform.

Little Dancer Aged Fourteen

Edgar Degas

plaster cast possibly 1920/1921, after original wax modelled 1878-1881

Painted plaster, fabric, metal armature, on plaster base Accession ID 1985.64.62

On View: West Building Ground Floor, Gallery G3

Head of Saint John the Baptist

Auguste Rodin

1887

Plaster Accession ID 1942.5.25

On View: West Building Ground Floor, Gallery G1

The image shows a relief panel with multiple human figures in dynamic poses. The figures are interacting with each other, portrayed standing, crouching, or bending. The sculpture appears to be made of a dark, polished material resembling bronze with textured details. The raised figures stand out against a flat background, creating a three-dimensional effect. The sculpture is displayed on a simple wooden stand.

Picking Apples (Memorial, or Family Idyll)

Edgar Degas

c. 1881/possibly 1890s

Pigmented beeswax, cork, wire, on wooden board Accession ID 1985.64.45

On View: West Building Ground Floor, Gallery G3

The sculpture depicts a standing figure of a woman dressed in early 20th-century attire. The woman is wearing a long skirt and a blouse with a belt at the waist, and she has a wide-brimmed hat on her head. The sculpture is dark reddish-brown and appears to be made of a material resembling bronze, with a textured surface capturing the details of the clothing and posture. The woman is standing upright with one hand behind her back and the other holding onto a small handbag. She is mounted on a simple rectangular base, and the overall sculpture is proportional to a small human figure, suggesting a scale model of an everyday person of that era.

The Schoolgirl (Woman Walking in the Street)

Edgar Degas

c. 1880/1881

Pigmented beeswax, plastiline, metal armature, on plaster base Accession ID 1999.80.18

On View: West Building Ground Floor, Gallery G3

Dancer Looking at the Sole of Her Right Foot

Edgar Degas

c. 1890s

Pigmented beeswax, metal armature, cork, on wooden base Accession ID 1999.80.5

On View: West Building Ground Floor, Gallery G4

The sculpture features two human figures in a dynamic interaction. One figure is reclining while the other is standing over them, placing their hands on the reclining figure's leg. The material of the sculpture appears to be bronze with a warm reddish-brown hue. The surface of the sculpture is textured and uneven, accentuating the contours and forms of the figures. The sculpture is set on a wooden base.

The Masseuse, Group

Edgar Degas

mid 1890s

Plastiline, metal armature, wood, cork, on wooden base Accession ID 1985.64.61

On View: West Building Ground Floor, Gallery G4

The sculpture depicts a figure of a person in a standing pose with their torso bent forward. The figure is holding a segment of long hair that hangs toward the floor. It appears to be a female form. The sculpture is composed of a bronze-like material with a dark patina, featuring rich earth tones such as deep browns and touches of lighter highlights. The surface of the sculpture is irregular and textured, capturing intricate details in the skin and hair. The figure stands on a rectangular base designed to look like a wooden platform, with a thin rod subtly attached to the figure along the side. Overall, the sculpture occupies space with realistic human proportions and an intimate engagement with natural human gestures.

Woman Arranging Her Hair

Edgar Degas

possibly late 1880s/1890s

Pigmented beeswax, clay, metal armature, cork, on wooden base Accession ID 1999.80.30

On View: West Building Ground Floor, Gallery G4

The sculpture portrays a seated woman who holds an infant partially in her lap. The infant reaches outwards, one of its legs slightly raised and its other leg resting on the base that the woman sits on. Both the woman and the child are depicted with smooth, rounded features, and appear to be nude. The sculpture is made of light-colored material, with a polished surface for the figures and a rough texture for the base.

Woman and Child (originally Première Impression d'Amour)

Auguste Rodin

model c. 1885, carved c. 1900-1901

Marble Accession ID 1942.5.19

On View: West Building Ground Floor, Gallery G3

The sculpture depicts a human figure in a standing pose with a slight lean and twist in the torso. The arms are bent, and one hand rests on the opposite shoulder. It is made of bronze, giving it a warm, brownish hue with reflective qualities. The surface appears textured with visible marks and variations. The figure stands on a simple rectangular base consistent with the sculpture's material and color.

Dancer Fastening the String of Her Tights

Edgar Degas

c. 1885/1890

Pigmented beeswax, plastiline, metal armature, cork, on wooden base Accession ID 1999.80.4

On View: West Building Ground Floor, Gallery G4