Girl with Water Lilies Possibly 1928

Herbert Adams created this sculpture, "Girl with Water Lilies," out of bronze using the lost wax casting method. The figure's gentle posture and smooth surface are thanks to bronze's capacity to capture fine details, allowing for the delicate folds of her gown and the subtle texture of the water lilies she holds. The bronze casting process – itself a labor-intensive process of molding, pouring, and finishing – gives the sculpture a sense of permanence, contrasting with the fleeting beauty of the flowers. Bronze, a material historically linked to power and prestige, elevates a simple subject into a work of art, blurring the lines between idealized beauty and the realities of labor and production. The sculpture invites us to consider the social context that frames our understanding of art and challenges traditional distinctions between craft and fine art.