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Head of a Spanish Peasant

Founder Cast by C. Valsuani
1911
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 772
Whitney, who collected realist works by artists featured in this gallery, founded what is now the Whitney Museum of American Art. She also had a significant career as a sculptor of monuments. This naturalistic portrait depicts Adolphe Ramon, her studio assistant in Paris. The strong chin and downcast eyes suggest Whitney’s skill in projecting the character of her subject. Contrasting textures—from the smooth cheeks to the patterned scarf around Ramon’s head—create dramatic effects of light and shadow, enhancing the surface’s tactile quality.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Head of a Spanish Peasant
  • Artist: Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (American, New York 1875–1942 New York)
  • Founder: Cast by C. Valsuani
  • Date: 1911
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Bronze
  • Dimensions: 16 1/4 x 12 1/2 x 11 1/4 in. (41.3 x 31.8 x 28.6 cm)
  • Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1916
  • Object Number: 16.84
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

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