Bust of a Man
second half of 18th century
- Medium
- Terracotta on marble socle
- Dimensions
- 52.8 × 30 cm
- Status
- In Museum Collection
- Collect24 Art ID
- C24-233975
Taking advantage of the speed with which he could model the soft material of terracotta, the sculptor fashioned an informal and spontaneous portrait bust. He rendered the sitter's face--where the sitter's character is most fully revealed--with great care, while the clothes, hair, and especially the back of the head were treated more sketchily. These areas show the sculptor's handling of the clay, creating incised lines on the front of the clothes and smooth planes on the cheeks. Made to adorn a French interior, this type of bust was very popular in the 1700s. Because terracotta was relatively inexpensive, both middle class and wealthy consumers could purchase artworks made of this material for their homes.
Provenance
The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
Registry history
- second half of 18th century — Recorded in the collection of J. Paul Getty Museum — sculpture
Registered on Collect24
The identity of the collector is never published. Purchase information, documents and the exact location of the artwork remain private.
Ownership not yet verified on Collect24
This artwork is documented in the Global Art Registry, but no Collect24 account is linked to it as the owner. Claiming keeps this record and its Collect24 Art ID — nothing is created a second time.
Do you own or represent this artwork? Claim this artwork →Auction history
Public sale records matched to this work. Ownership is never disclosed.
Loading sale records…