ARTIST STATEMENT
My submission is of the historical member Augustus Saint Gaudens (born 1848 in Dublin, Ireland; died 1907 in New Hampshire, United States of America).
I chose to sculpt St. Gaudens, despite him being an obviously popular choice with the other contestants, due to his beautiful sculptural work and fantastic facial features. There’s no doubt his influence on the American sculpture tradition with his French Ecole des Beaux-Arts training is something still felt today- which is reason alone to make a bronze bust of him. He created a direct link to European sculpting techniques in his unique position as a French-speaking American who studied in Paris and continued to travel between America and Europe throughout his career. His most productive and successful sculpting period was from 1875 – 1897, during which time he was mostly based in New York. The Salmagundi Club, having been established in 1871, was becoming an increasingly popular establishment in which for artists to meet and exhibit together. It seems likely St. Gaudens would have become a member during this time.
His works for me are highly relevant and engaging in the way they have timeless appeal to the imagination of the viewer, offering a glimpse into a narrative that reaches well beyond that represented moment. I was immediately drawn to the enigmatic seated figure for the Adams Memorial but also the dramatic figure of ‘The Puritan’, pulled into their dramas and left wanting to travel deeper into their worlds.
When I make a portrait I try to do something similar, I want the viewer to wonder what the sitter is thinking and feeling, to be interested in their world, to empathise with them in some way. I chose to pose St. Gaudens looking down and deep in thought for this reason. Also, the competition brief states the bronze bust will rest finally on a bookshelf in the Library so this made me think he would be placed higher up than the viewer, and posed in this way he would be looking down slightly to possibly meet the gaze of those passing by.
The 3⁄4 maquette is in resin and measures 45cm tall including the base. Translated into life-size it will measure a total of 60cm in height.