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Jacob Epstein, Sculptor
The dynamic energy and human interest of his hometown, New York City, provided Jacob Epstein (1880–1959) with his earliest artistic inspiration and hinted at the qualities he would later develop as a pioneer of modern sculpture. Epstein began his artistic training as a painter, studying at the Art Students League in New York City in 1900. Vision problems forced him to abandon painting in favor of sculpture, which he pursued in Paris before settling in England in 1905.
Epstein created considerable controversy through his avant-garde approach to portrait sculpture and public monuments. Rejecting the polished, idealized appearance that other artists cultivated in imitation of classical Greek art, he deliberately developed a rugged surface quality and radically simplified forms inspired by African and other non-European art traditions. Epstein's figures often convey frank sexuality that shocked contemporary sensibilities.
In this portrait, Walter Ernest Tittle vividly captured the artist's defiant self-confidence.
Walter Ernest Tittle, c 1932 |