Horse Head 1926

Here we have 'Horse Head', a bronze sculpture, by Paul Wayland Bartlett. The way light interacts with the sculpted surface of this bronze is crucial; it's like the artist is thinking through touch, building form with a sensitivity to the materiality. You can imagine the artist's hands on the clay, coaxing out the subtle curves and musculature. The patina has a sort of muted, aged green quality which gives the piece a sense of history and depth. Notice the texture around the horse's mane, the individual strands of hair, the folds of skin - each groove and ridge is carefully articulated, yet there's a looseness to the overall form, an impressionistic quality that brings the horse to life. The slightly open mouth feels so expressive! It reminds me of Rodin, his rough surfaces and emotional intensity, this embrace of the unfinished as a way to capture movement and feeling. Ultimately, this piece invites us to appreciate the physicality of sculpture, the artist's hand, and the enduring power of bronze to capture the essence of life.