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Ann Buchan Robinson (1792–1853)

Pierre Jean David d'Angers French

1831

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 801

This masterpiece of carving was probably commissioned from David d'Angers, the leading portrait sculptor of the Romantic era, by the sitter's husband, a New York entrepreneur with business connections in France. Formal purity is paramount: nothing distracts from the transition between smooth skin and the swept up coils of an extraordinary hairstyle that was the height of fashion about 1830. The tilt of the head and slightly pouted lips impart refined lifelikeness to the portrait. Robinson's idealized serenity is typical of David d'Angers's female portrait busts; those depicting men tend to reveal far more about the sitter's inner personality.

Ann Buchan Robinson (1792–1853), Pierre Jean David d'Angers (French, Angers 1788–1856 Paris), Marble, French — This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Ann Buchan Robinson (1792–1853), Pierre Jean David d'Angers (French, Angers 1788–1856 Paris), Marble, French

Ann Buchan Robinson (1792–1853), Pierre Jean David d'Angers (French, Angers 1788–1856 Paris), Marble, French

Ann Buchan Robinson (1792–1853), Pierre Jean David d'Angers (French, Angers 1788–1856 Paris), Marble, French

Ann Buchan Robinson (1792–1853), Pierre Jean David d'Angers (French, Angers 1788–1856 Paris), Marble, French

Ann Buchan Robinson (1792–1853), Pierre Jean David d'Angers (French, Angers 1788–1856 Paris), Marble, French

Ann Buchan Robinson (1792–1853), Pierre Jean David d'Angers (French, Angers 1788–1856 Paris), Marble, French

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Title: Ann Buchan Robinson (1792–1853)

Artist: Pierre Jean David d'Angers (French, Angers 1788–1856 Paris)

Date: 1831

Culture: French

Medium: Marble

Dimensions: Overall (wt, confirmed): 19 × 7 7/16 × 7 1/2 in., 62.2 lb. (48.3 × 18.9 × 19.1 cm, 28.2 kg)

Classification: Sculpture

Credit Line: Museum of the City of New York, Gift of J. Philip Benkard II, 1958

Accession Number: L.2016.8a, b

The Met

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts at The Met

The Met's comprehensive collection of European sculpture and decorative arts reflect the development of a number of art forms in Western European countries from the early fifteenth through the early twentieth century.