Lord Byron, Full Scale, [Clay]

Lord Byron, Full Scale, [Clay]

Figure sculpture, American--20th century

"His last monumental work, Lord Byron, designed in 1938, enlarged by the artist, and cast posthumously in 1998 for the Marshall Fredericks Sculpture Museum paradoxically seems to refer back to Fredericks's earliest influences. This literary figure, clearly inspired by Rodin's Balzac, strikes a shameless dramatic pose: head flung back with his hand on his forehead, heavy cloak partially pulled around his body with the other hand flying out to the side and back. Fredericks, in contrast to the symmetry that generally characterizes his designs, treated each side of the Byron figure in a different manner. Along its right side, the figure is closed and solid. The drop of the heavy cloak does not allow for articulation of forms or even for suggestion of the body beneath. Rather, the artist exploits the long, unbroken line of the cloak from the figure's chin to the ground. In contrast, the figure's left side is open and plastic with elbow and knee flung out at an angle from the nipped-in waist. Like Sun Worshipper, Lord Byron represents an important mid-career design that he was only able to realize in large scale at the end of his career."Marshall Fredericks, Suzanne P. "Marshall M. Fredericks, Sculptor", Saginaw Valley State University, 2003. p. 15

Fredericks, Marshall M., 1908-1998

1998

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

Sculpture

University Center (Mich.)

138" h

Clay
Wood
Polystyrene Foam

2000.003.001

Sculptors Studio

01/15/2000 gifted to MFSM