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Un ipocrita e calunniatore

ca. 1770–83
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 639
La serie di una sessantina di teste di metallo o alabastro, raffiguranti aspetti del carattere, eseguita dallo scultore austriaco Messerschmidt fu un’ossessione personale che si impadronì dell’artista verso la fine della sua carriera. I busti confermano una tradizione artistica che associava l’espressione del volto alle emozioni, ma allo stesso tempo rispecchiano le teorie mediche contemporanee all’artista che collegavano i sensi esterni ai sentimenti interni. Alcuni soggetti, come questo, sono fortemente introspettivi. Con una combinazione assolutamente originale di realismo e astrazione, lo scultore ha ritratto un uomo robusto e calvo con la testa abbassata sul petto, mentre le rughe concentriche e le mascelle simmetriche creano un disegno teso.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Titolo: Un ipocrita e calunniatore
  • Artista: Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, Austriaco, nato in Germania, 1736-1783
  • Data: ca. 1770-83
  • Materiale e tecnica: Lega di stagno
  • Dimensioni: 37 x 24,4 x 29,5 cm
  • Crediti: Acquistato, European Sculpture and Decorative Arts Fund; e donazioni di Lila Acheson Wallace, Mr. Mark Fisch e consorte, e Mr. Frank E. Richardson e consorte, 2010
  • Numero d'inventario: 2010.24
  • Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

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Sabine Houdon (1787–1836)
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