Boy with a Duck 1907

Just Sondrup made "Boy with a Duck" out of bronze. The surface of this bronze has such a warm, brown tone. It's incredible how the sculptor has managed to create the sense of smooth, subtle skin on this nude figure using such a robust material. I'm really drawn to the details in the boy's face; the gentle slope of the nose, the slight parting of the lips - he looks so alive! And then there is the duck, held triumphantly aloft. It makes me think about the artist's own engagement with the materials he has used to make this piece, and the labour involved in its creation. There is a tactile quality to the piece that invites exploration. This work has a classical feel, and reminds me of the work of artists like Degas, in its intimate study of the human form. Like a sketch, it’s as though the work is inviting us into a conversation about the nature of sculpture and the way in which we respond to it.