Dimensions: object: 349 x 194 x 251 mm
Copyright: © The estate of Maurice Lambert | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Curator: This is Maurice Lambert's "Head of a Woman," part of the Tate collection. The bronze sculpture, roughly 35 centimeters in height, presents a striking portrait. Editor: The downcast gaze immediately gives me a sense of melancholy, a quiet introspection. The material lends a somber feeling, no? Curator: Absolutely. Consider the historical context. Lambert, working in the early 20th century, faced shifts in gender roles. This sculpture could represent the burdens and constraints placed on women during that era. Editor: I am drawn to the subtle details—the arrangement of her hair, almost classical, hints at a connection to idealized beauty, while her posture suggests something quite different. Perhaps defiance? Curator: It’s a complex interplay. The bronze itself, a material associated with permanence, immortalizes this woman, even as her expression speaks of transient emotions. Editor: Ultimately, the sculpture is an elegant reminder that artistic interpretations can evolve over time. Curator: Indeed. It invites us to reflect on societal pressures, historical memory, and the enduring power of individual expression.
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This bronze portrait of the English lutenist, Diana Poulton (1903-1995), was completed in 1936. Lambert’s delicate modelling of Poulton’s features combined with the lucid transitions between lines and curved mass emphasise the sensuality of his sitter’s character. He cast this piece before considering it finished which brought about a sense of experiment and vitality. These attributes are associated with modern sculpture and move this work away from realism towards a looser expression of form in portrait sculpture. Lambert cast only one bronze of this piece and retained the plaster original for himself. Gallery label, September 2016