ONLINE PROGRAM

Medardo Rosso (1858-1928): Opening the Door to Modern Sculpture

Dr. Sharon Hecker, art historian and curator

The Italian/French artist Medardo Rosso (1858–1928) was a key figure in expanding the definition of sculpture for the modern era. Not only did he focus on every day, contemporary subjects, but he also experimented with light in order to render sculpture ephemeral and seemingly insubstantial. His heads and figures in plaster, wax, and bronze - frequently portrayed as tired, meditative, laughing, or melancholy - appear to be caught in fugitive visual, physical, or emotional states. As fleeting “impressions” of modern life, they stand in marked contrast to the monumental, idealized depictions typical of traditional sculpture before and during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This lecture explores Rosso’s production through his experimental sculptures, photographs, and drawings, as well as his enormous influence upon Henry Moore, Umberto Boccioni, Constantin Brancusi, and Alberto Giacometti. Today, his work is fundamental to contemporary artists, from Tony Cragg to Diana Al-Hadid, Marisa Merz, Luciano Fabro, and Barry X Ball.

$15 fee for guests and subscribers (no fee for members)