Dimensions: unconfirmed: 470 x 140 x 90 mm
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: Take a peek at this fascinating artwork, “Madonna” by Henri Gaudier-Brzeska! It’s a bronze sculpture and it strikes me as both ancient and futuristic at the same time. What do you make of it? Curator: You're right, there's a potent dichotomy there. Gaudier-Brzeska was deeply inspired by ancient forms, yet strived for a modern simplicity. See how he reduces the Madonna to these almost geometric shapes? It's as if he's trying to capture her essence, her monumental spirit, rather than a literal representation. What feelings does that evoke in you? Editor: I see what you mean. It feels solid, eternal. I definitely appreciate the modernist reduction, although I would have never been able to put words to it. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure. It is in our nature to explore beauty, and Gaudier-Brzeska certainly provides.
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/gaudier-brzeska-madonna-t07082
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This sculpture was Gaudier-Brzeska’s first official commission, for the publisher and critic Thomas Leman Hare. He approached Gaudier-Brzeska to produce a statuette of the actress Maria Carmi in her role as the Madonna in the play The Miracle. Staged at Olympia London, the production was an enormous spectacle featuring around 1,700 performers, and Hare hoped to capitalise on its popularity. Although the commission symbolised a breakthrough in GaudierBrzeska’s career, it was not the commercial success they had hoped for, and the intended edition of 100 bronzes was never produced. Gallery label, September 2024
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