Doe and Hope

Description

The head of a child, in the style of Sir Jacob Epstein, modeled in stone showing a superb sea green yellow finish, inscribed Ann Catherine N to the rear, presented on its original steel rod stand and stepped stained pine plinth base survives from mid century Britain.

The condition of the sculpture is rather good. She remains un-restored, un-cleaned and un-repaired. There are small scratches to surface on sides of face and cheeks, also a very fine crack across bridge of nose. She is displaying a good patination to the surface, and thus proving a tactile piece. She is signed but not numbered, so we think she is a one off.

Sir Jacob Epstein, KBE was an American-born British sculptor who helped pioneer modern sculpture. He was born in the United States, and moved to Europe in 1902, becoming a British citizen in 1911. In his lifetime he championed many of the concepts central to modernist sculpture, including 'truth to material', direct carving, and inspiration from so-called primitive art, all of which became central to twentieth-century practice.

The sculptor of this piece was clearly influenced heavily by Epstein’s bold work and this artist was obviously well skilled, with a good understanding of proportion and the facial features, and particularly the hair, are very well rendered and realized. The importance of texture is also apparent, as it was with Epstein’s work.

Almost certainly unique, this is expressive and experimental mid-century sculpture at its decorative best.