Two Sisters (Mother and Child) [Plaster]

Two Sisters (Mother and Child) [Plaster]

Figure sculpture, American--20th century

Plaster presentation model for Two Sisters fountain. They stand on a blue plexiglas circle to represent the water. There are silver painted representations of water jets on the base.

Two Sisters (Mother and Child), 1942
Maquette for fountain
Plaster original

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Marshall M. Fredericks
1994.028

Fredericks, Marshall M., 1908-1998

1942

Use of this image requires permission from the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum

Sculpture

University Center (Mich.)

19.25" h

Plaster

1994.028

Main Exhibit Gallery

05/26/1994 gifted to MFSM

From Jennifer Lentz (Collection Documentation Intern 1991-1992)

Memo dated September 11, 1991:

"RE: Mother and Child - Two Sisters

On the list that Mrs. Fredericks created titled: Principal Works of Marshall M. Fredericks, it lists several different Mother and Childs as well as Two Sisters. I asked Mr. Fredericks if these are different sculptures or just variations with different names. He said the first one listed as Mother and Child, 1930, plaster 12" high, destroyed, no longer exists. They showed me a photograph of it. The mother figure has both arms raised to the sides and she is wearing some sort of loose garment like a cape. The next one listed Mother and Child, 1931, porcelain, 12" high, destroyed, no longer exists either. They showed me a photo of it also. The mother is seated and leans backward and the child reclines in her lap. I asked him about the name of our maquette and the full-size plaster. He said he originally named the maquette Mother and Child. The name Two Sisters was not used until 1965 when Robert Grindley comissioned it as a memorial for his wife to be placed at Kingswood in a fountain. His two daughters attended Kingswood School. Mr. Fredericks said we should title it Mother and Child also called Two Sisters. (However the bronze cast in the MFSG Garden is labeled Two Sisters.) The earliest date we have for the composition that survives today is from 1937 for a gilt bronze on at Cranbrook. There is also one from at least May 1939 when it was pictured in Pencil Points magazine in an alternate design for a fountain basin. In these two early versions as well as our maquette dated to 1942 the younger figure has the cap-like hair style. Not until 1965 does she appear with braids. 1937 is also the date for Eve which is listed as being a study for Two Sisters/Mother and Child on the list of works. 1965 is the first time the name Two Sisters was used."
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From Jennifer Lentz (Collection Documentation Intern 1991-1992)
Memo dated August 20, 1991

"RE: Two Sisters Fountain at Cranbrook

Yesterday Molly told me Mr. Fredericks enlarged it to full size before he left for the war in 1942. Thus Mr. Grindley saw this full-scale model when he decided to use it as a memorial for his wife.

I went to see the fountain yesterday also. The plaque reads:
Tow Sisters/by Marshall M. Fredericks/gift of/Robert and Mary Grindley/1965"

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From Jennifer Lentz (Collection Documentation Intern 1991-1992)
Memo dated September 5, 1991 (Excerpt)

"RE: Works at Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum:
Two Sisters/Mother and Child
Childhood Friends
Torso of a Dancer
Persephone (Bacchante)

Today I met with David Rau at the Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum. He showed me two works by Fredericks in storage. One was labeled Two Sisters and dated 1938-39. Our records from Cranbrook (?) indicate this piece is from 1937 and it is titled Mother and Child. It is about two feet high (I did not measure it) and is fire gilt bronze. The figures are similar to the figures in the maquette in Pencil Points magazine from May 1939. The younger child has the cap-like hair style. I will have to compare them to tell if the figures are exactly the same. In any case these figures are closer to the figures in our maquette than to the figures in the actual fountain and to the full-scale plaster of the two figures in the gallery."