Ann Buchan Robinson (1792–1853)
This singular signed and dated bust exemplifies the artistic ingenuity of France’s leading portrait sculptor of the Romantic era. It was probably commissioned by the sitter's husband, a New York shipping magnate with business connections in France. Mrs. Robinson is portrayed in an austere and classicizing manner without accessories. Unembellished simplicity calls attention to the bust’s single bold adornment: an upswept hairdo with two loops of tresses knotted into a billowing bow. The slight upward tilt and left rotation of the head impart the sitter’s vitality, as she directs a self-confident gaze into the distance. The idealized serenity is typical of the sculptor’s female portrait busts; those depicting men tend to reveal more about the sitter's inner personality.
Artwork Details
- Title: Ann Buchan Robinson (1792–1853)
- Artist: Pierre Jean David d'Angers (French, Angers 1788–1856 Paris)
- Date: 1831
- Culture: French
- Medium: Marble
- Dimensions: Overall (wt, confirmed): 19 × 7 7/16 × 7 1/2 in., 62.2 lb. (48.3 × 18.9 × 19.1 cm, 28.2 kg)
- Classification: Sculpture
- Credit Line: Purchase, Beatrice Stern Gift, 2025
- Object Number: 2025.132
- Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
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