Zeventigste verjaardag van Johan Wagenaar 1932 1931

This bronze medal was created by Gra Rueb in 1932 to commemorate the seventieth birthday of Johan Wagenaar. I can imagine Rueb, bent over her work, carefully modeling the clay, coaxing the features of Wagenaar into being. The patina of the bronze is beautiful, that warm, earthy color we often see in sculptures from this period. The artist has captured a profile of Wagenaar that feels both formal and intimate. Look at the way she’s modeled his hair, and the details of his glasses. It’s clear she paid attention to the textures, from the smoothness of his skin to the fabric of his suit. I wonder if she knew him personally? There’s a real sense of care in the way she has represented him. Art is a conversation between artists, and I'm thinking of Rodin and his bronze sculptures. Rueb is part of that ongoing dialogue, using materials and form to capture something essential about a person and a moment in time. It's like alchemy.