Stone Cold Inspiration - Marble Busts

Barbara and I have been hunting for some finishing touches on a project we’ve been working on and decided a marble bust would be the perfect element for this predominantly classic space.

The ideal! A "Baroque voodoo" sculpture by Bernini, thought to be his lover.

After a (disappointing) look at a few local antique dealers, I decided to scour the internet for inspiration. We find in our work that it’s best to find the piece you aspire to and work from there. Many of the more favorable examples I found were by Bernini, the famed Italian sculptor who did work for the Vatican, and was originally patronized by Pope Paul V’s nephew Cardinal Borghese. I somehow doubt that we will end up with a Bernini in our client’s home, but this is where the aspiration comes in.

Imperial Roman bust of Marcus Aurelius from the Ephesus Museum in Turkey.

A screen shot from the film "Auntie Mame" during her "Neoclassical" period.

A bust of "Lucifer" atop coiled snakes.

I thought I would share some images I found online. After immersing myself, I think a bust of a feminine subject is better for the space, as it seems “softer” and we don’t want the piece to dominate the room.

From Christies a bust of Aphrodite from the Hellenistic period.

A Nineteenth Century bust, possibly of Marie Antoinette.

One of the more interesting pieces I found in my research is a Pre-Hellenistic piece that reads as incredibly modern. It reminded me of a sculpture by Isamu Noguchi. The piece is available as a reproduction, but I think its modernity is not right for this project.

Aegean Islands Cycladic Head bust sculpture (Pre-Hellenistic) from the Metropolitan Museum.

Isamu Noguchi sculpture entitled "Mother & Child" from 1944.

We’ll keep looking, and hope that the “Marble gods” will grace us with the perfect piece.

David Hansen