Shutting Out the Winter Cold c. 1916

Albert Pommier crafted "Shutting Out the Winter Cold" as a bronze bas-relief. Its circular form, defined by the tactile materiality of the metal, presents a study in enclosed space and human form. Observe how the figure is hunched; its body almost a continuous curve mirroring the relief’s edge. The artist uses this composition to amplify the emotional weight of the piece, emphasizing a sense of introspection. The details of the face are obscured, shifting the focus to the body language as the primary communicator of emotion. Consider this work as a study in contrasts: the cold implied by the title versus the warmth of the bronze, the hardiness of the material versus the vulnerability of the figure. It’s a formal interplay that encourages us to contemplate the nature of resilience and the boundaries between the internal and external world.