FEMALE FIGURE IN FLENITE (final) Flashcards
(22 cards)
date
1913
artsist
Jacob Epstein
subject
*Represents a pregnant woman
*An almost S-shaped mother engrossed in contemplation of unborn baby in belly
*Maternity dominated Epstein’s imagination at intervals throughout his career
other Epstein works on maternity
Mother and Child (relief carving), c. 1905,
Maternity, begun 1910, Hoptonwood stone
Genesis, 1929-1930, Seravezza marble
what did epsein say about his genisis sculpture
‘I felt the necessity to give expression to the profoundly elemental in motherhood’- Epstein autobiography
treatment of figure and form (description)
*Focus on abstracted and simplified form
*Meditative head, suspended over pregnant stomach
*Upper body curves back from sturdy legs in an arc of maternal protectiveness
*May be inspired by the fertility charms (note small scale) worn by Congolese women
*Seen from the side it is shaped like a question mark, the torso supported on strong sloping legs, the head and shoulders bent in a curve towards the focal point of the swollen belly
*Seen from the front the piece is narrow/compact,
primitive influence of fertility charms
*May be inspired by the fertility charms (note small scale) worn by Congolese women
scale
*Despite its small scale, renders the pregnancy theme to startling formal effect
material
*The dark green mottled stone (green sepentine) is what Epstein called flenite - an amalgam of the words flint and granite
-It is possible that Epstein invented the name ‘flenite’ to draw attention to the exotic qualities of the stone
-Known to have carved at least three figures in flenite around 1913
how does epstein incorporate ‘truth to materials’
-consciously respects the nature of the material, working it to bring out its particular properties and beauty of colour and surface
-title emphasises the material rather than the subject
-The dark stone absorbs light emphasising the sharpness of its contours
-Smooth polished surface reflects light and highlights subtle colour/textural changes in its surface
epstein relationship with direct carving
1910 Epstein started to carve directly in stone, aided only by preliminary drawings (no model): this was radical
Epstein quote about direct carving
*Epstein said: “I want to carve mountains”
example of when epsetein didnt use direct carving
. Epstein’s figures for the British Medical Association building (begun 1907) were modelled in studio, cast in plaster and then taken to the Strand before being copied in stone by a firm of architectural carvers
evidence of direct carving in this sculpture
*Simple forms which respected the original block
*Surface is kept uncluttered by detail in order to expose the material itself
*Carefully polished to enhance the colour and markings
Influences
-moves away from renaissance influence of donatello and Michelangelo (He also moves away from influence of Rodin - whose studio he had visited during his time in Paris )
what was he exposed to at Ecole des beaux arts and Academie Julien
he had been exposed early influence of donatello and michelangelo to in Paris from 1902-05 while studying at the École des Beaux-Arts and Académie Julian
Modilglliani influence (relationship with artist and how its seen in this sculpture)
Epstein had spent time with Modigliani in Paris in 1912 and 1913
Modigliani showed a group of his carved heads - inspired by African masks - at the Salon d’Automne in 1912
influence seen in…
*The clearly-defined structure of the figure
*Clarity and simplicity of form
*Direct carving of stone
*Modigliani believed modern sculptors were modelling too much in clay (“too much mud”) and believed the only way sculpture could be revitalised was through working directly in stone
*Very little detail
*Almond eyes
Brancusi influence (relationship with artist and how its seen in this sculpture)
Had a studio in Montparnasse
Epstein spent time with Brancusi in Paris in 1912 and 1913
influence seen in…
*Extreme reduction of form
*Retaining only sculptural essence
*Direct carving
*Stripping away of unnecessary detail
what did epstein say about brancusi
Epstein called Brancusi “the modern artist who brought the greatest individual touch to sculpture”
influence Eric Gill (relationship with artist and how its seen in this sculpture)
Influence of Eric Gill on Epstein’s Female Figure in Flenite:
*Direct caving
*Draws inspiration from primitivism in his work
influence of primitivism (before London)
*At the Louvre during his first sojourn in Paris (1902-1905) Epstein had been impressed by the Egyptian, early Greek, Cycladic goddesses and Iberian art
*In 1903 had visited the Gauguin retrospective at Salon d’Automne (where he saw the artist’s primitive-inspired 3D works)
influence of primitivism (in London)
*As soon as he moved to London (1905) Epstein became a frequent visitor of the British Museum
*c. 1910 began to incorporate elements taken from sculpture of non-western origin into his work
*primitive art at this point in London was an area of increasing interest
*Epstein’s interest in primitivism was also stimulated by his friendship with fellow artist Eric Gill (1882 - 1940) who was also drawn to non-western sources
*Epstein began collecting primitive artefacts seriously in 1912 and eventually owned the finest collection of African and Pacific art in Europe
