Mlle Dominique Jeanès 1925

Charles Despiau sculpted this head of Mlle Dominique Jeanès from plaster, a humble material, and mounted it on a stone base. Plaster is an interesting choice for a portrait sculpture; it is often used as a preliminary material for a work that will be finalized in bronze or stone. The appeal of plaster lies in its immediacy. It allows for a quick, responsive modeling process. Look closely and you can see the artist’s fingerprints and the marks of his tools, capturing a sense of Jeanès’s presence. It is a very tactile experience. By retaining the plaster as the final medium, Despiau blurred the lines between sketch and finished sculpture. This approach elevates the process of making, highlighting the labor and direct engagement of the artist's hand. The juxtaposition with the stone base further emphasizes this dialogue between spontaneity and permanence, challenging traditional hierarchies in art. It reminds us that the value of art lies not just in the final product but in the journey of its creation.