A successful dentist who came to art late in life, Paul Paulin nevertheless quickly forged relationships among the Parisian avant-garde. In 1883 he met Edgar Degas (1834–1917), but it would be 25 years before he created this portrayal of the famous artist. In the sculpture, Paulin’s free hand lends a dynamism to his rather serious depiction of a famous, and by then famously reclusive, artist. When the work was exhibited in 1909, one critic remarked on Paulin’s insightfulness, stating, “[M]en...do not easily reveal their innermost thoughts, and feelings have rarely been so intelligently and sensitively interpreted.” Paulin had the advantage of a long-term friendship with Degas, and the sculptor’s keen understanding of the sitter’s gravitas is expertly realized.
Details
- Artist Name: Paul Paulin (French, 1852-1937)
- Title: Bust of Degas
- Date: 1907
- Medium: Bronze
- Dimensions: 18-1/4 x 16-1/4 x 12-1/4 in. (46.4 x 41.3 x 31.1 cm)
- Credit Line: Norton Simon Art Foundation
- Accession Number: M.1986.1.S
- Copyright: © Norton Simon Art Foundation
Object Information
Gaze: Portraiture After Ingres
- Norton Simon Museum, 2009-10-30 to 2010-04-05
- Lafond, Paul, Degas,
- Campbell, Sara, Collector Without Walls: Norton Simon and His Hunt for the Best, 2010, cat. 1723 p. 439
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