Jacob Epstein - First Portrait of George Bernard Shaw (Bust) |
Inscribed - Epstein. First Portrait of George Bernard Shaw (bust) Bronze – Jacob Epstein (1934)
The bronze bust stands 64.2 cm. tall and is from an edition of five casts. The background to the creation of this work was described by Epstein in his autobiography as follows:
Shaw sat on condition that I was commissioned to do the work. He thought I ought to benefit materially and not just do his bust for its own sake. Orage [an influential left-wing editor] arranged a commission for me from Mrs. Blanche Grant, an American. Shaw sat with exemplary patience and even eagerness. He walked to my studio every day, and was punctual and conscientious. He wise-cracked of course. In matters of Art he aired definite opinions, mostly wrong, and I often had to believe that he wished to say smart things to amuse me … Shaw was puzzled by the bust of himself and often looked at it and tried to make it out … I never tried to explain the bust to him, and I think that there are elements so subtle that they would be difficult to explain. Nevertheless, I believe this to be an authentic and faithful rendering of George Bernard Shaw physically and psychologically. I leave out any question of aesthetics, as that would be beyond Shaw’s comprehension. Epstein’s autobiography was first published in 1940 and after reading it Shaw wrote him a letter about the bust saying, your first sketch …is a brilliant thumbnail version of me as I am. Then you went on to perform marvels of modelling lips and cheeks and mouth with all the mastery that makes your busts precious.
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