ticketsMember | Make a donation

Caryatid

Founder Cast by C. Valsuani
1912, cast 1913
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 774
This figure was a study for one of three standing male nudes that support the basin of an overlifesize marble fountain at McGill University in Montreal. The title of the bronze statuette, "Caryatid," describes the figure's function as an architectural support, but its gender makes it more correctly an atlas. Though Whitney positioned the subject in a classical contrapposto, both arms upraised supporting a heavy weight, she acknowledged the enormous impact of French sculptor Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) by emphasizing the contrasts of light and shadow that serve alternately to reveal and to mask the figure. The physical force Whitney suggested through the taut musculature of the arms, legs, and back is also indebted to Rodin.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Caryatid
  • Artist: Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (American, New York 1875–1942 New York)
  • Founder: Cast by C. Valsuani
  • Date: 1912, cast 1913
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Bronze
  • Dimensions: 18 3/4 x 6 1/2 x 5 1/2 in. (47.6 x 16.5 x 14 cm)
  • Credit Line: Anonymous Gift, 1922
  • Object Number: 22.81
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Head of a Spanish Peasant, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney American, Bronze, American
Head of a Spanish Peasant
Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney
C. Valsuani
1911
Lamp, Louis C. Tiffany American, Leaded Favrile glass and bronze, American
Lamp
Louis C. Tiffany
Tiffany Studios
1904–15
Cooking-on-Saturday, Leslie Garland Bolling American, Yellow-poplar, American
Cooking-on-Saturday
Leslie Garland Bolling
1936
Window, Frank Lloyd Wright American, Glass, zinc, American
Window
Frank Lloyd Wright
1912
Outside Row Standing Horse (Carousel Figure), Daniel Müller American, born Germany, Basswood, paint, glass, steel, American
Outside Row Standing Horse (Carousel Figure)
Daniel Müller
D.C. Müller & Bro.
ca. 1917

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.