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Charles-Henri-Joseph Cordier

African Venus (La Vénus africaine)

Description

Maker

Charles-Henri-Joseph Cordier (French, 1827-1905)

Title

African Venus (La Vénus africaine)

Year

ca. 1851

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

marble, bronze, gilding, silver

Dimensions

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

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Jesse Metcalf Fund

Object Number

1995.013

Type

Projects & Publications

Publications

Articles

Hidden Beauty
Seeking Visibility

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Raid the Icebox Now with Nicole Eisenman
Tonight We Are Going Out And We Are All Getting Hammered
Nov 01, 2019 – May 01, 2021
Intermission
Dec 16, 2016 – Jul 02, 2017

Label copy

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.

Related Publications

Related Publications

  • Journal

Manual / Issue 12: On Further Review

The RISD Museum’s twelfth issue of Manual focuses on uncovering narratives that were once central to objects’ histories but now have been systematically obscured, inadvertently overlooked, or otherwise lost.

Use & Feedback

Image use

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This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Charles-Henri-Joseph Cordier (French, 1827-1905)
African Venus (La Vénus africaine), ca. 1851
Bronze with silver and gold patination
51.1 x 21.6 x 16.5 cm (20 1/8 x 8 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches)
Jesse Metcalf Fund 1995.013

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