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Charles-Henri-Joseph Cordier

African Venus, ca. 1851

Description

Maker

  • Charles-Henri-Joseph Cordier, 1827-1905, French

Title

African Venus

Year

ca. 1851

Medium

Bronze with silver and gold patination

Materials/Techniques

Materials

  • marble,
  • bronze,
  • gilding,
  • gilded,
  • silver,
  • AR

Dimensions

51.1 x 21.6 x 16.5 cm (20 1/8 x 8 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches)

Type

  • Sculpture

Credit

Jesse Metcalf Fund

Object Number

1995.013

About

Modeled from life in the artist’s studio in Paris, this sculptural bust of a woman would have appealed predominantly to European audiences drawn to exoticized representations of other cultures. The model’s heavy-lidded eyes, parted lips, and lightweight drapery reinforce such stereotypes, but the realism and pose create a strong impression of individuality and dignity.

Cordier’s sculptures often incorporated colored stone and precious metal finishes. Here, warm skin tones are evoked by the use of a fine silver patina over the bronze cast.

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Projects & Publications

Publications

Manual / Issue 12

On Further Review
Read Online

Selected Works

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Raid the Icebox Now with Nicole Eisenman

November 1, 2019 - May 1, 2021

Intermission

December 16, 2016 - July 2, 2017

Modeled from life in the artist’s studio in Paris, this sculpture would have appealed to predominantly European audiences drawn to exoticized versions of other cultures. The model’s heavy-lidded eyes, parted lips, and lightweight drapery reinforce such stereotypes, but the realism and carriage of her head create a strong impression of individuality and dignity.

Cordier’s sculptures often incorporated colored stone and precious metal finishes. Here, warm skin tones are evoked by the use of a fine silver patina over the bronze cast.

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is African Venus with the accession number of 1995.013. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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