Auguste Gady c. 1832 - 1950

What is ‘warts and all realism’? How does this nineteenth-century sculpture have ties to Ancient Rome? Rather than depict the full body, bust portraits focus on an individual from the chest upwards. This type of sculpture has roots in the art of the Roman Empire, when they were used to represent Roman emperors and philosophers. Roman busts were associated with a style of ‘warts and all’ realism, which emphasised facial accuracy and imperfection. It’s a very different style to the perfect, idealised smoothness that we associate with Ancient Greek sculpture! In this bust portrait from around 1833, the French painter and sculptor Honoré Daumier (1808-1879) continues the tradition of the ‘warts and all’ bust. This sculpture depicts Auguste Gady, a French magistrate. What do you think of Gady based on this portrait? What does it suggest about his character? Here, Gady is depicted as wizened and wrinkled. He has a furrowed brow and a stern expression, almost like a grimace. His bronze skin seems weathered. His head is slightly bent to one side, and he gazes downwards in introspection. We at once understand that we’re looking at an old and tired man. ‘Auguste Gady’ was originally modelled in clay and later cast in bronze. Take a look at the rough texture of the metal alloy. We can see the areas where Daumier worked the clay with his fingertips. Just imagine him modelling the surface to achieve the desired effect! 🫆 By using a style associated with Roman imperial power and intellect, Daumier infuses his sculpture with a sense of importance and authority. The portrait is full of character, capturing the individual essence and human emotion of Auguste Gady. What do you think? Would you want to be depicted in this way?