Mrs. Stanford White (Bessie Springs Smith) 1884 - 1888

Editor: Here we have Augustus Saint-Gaudens' marble sculpture, "Mrs. Stanford White (Bessie Springs Smith)", created between 1884 and 1888. The work is currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The first thing I notice is how serene and almost ethereal the woman appears; what strikes you about this piece? Curator: Serene is a good word. It whispers, doesn't it? Marble can do that. But to me, it's more than just serenity. There's a captivating blend of classical ideals and contemporary portraiture going on here. Do you notice how the drapery evokes ancient Roman sculpture, almost goddess-like? It’s as if Saint-Gaudens is trying to elevate Mrs. White. But it isn’t idealized completely – you see traces of a real, fashionable woman of that era. Editor: Absolutely, it feels like he's both immortalizing her and capturing a specific moment. But tell me more about this balance between the classical and contemporary. Where else can we see it? Curator: It’s in the slight tension between the crisp details of the face and hair versus the flowing softness of the marble drapery. Or, even, consider the frame – richly ornamented – which screams “Gilded Age”, clashing or maybe even…conversing with the classicism of the sculpted figure it frames? Do you think the combination works, or fights each other for our attention? Editor: That tension definitely adds depth! I think it works precisely because it reflects the complexities of the subject herself. It shows us how her beauty both adheres to a classic ideal and asserts her individuality. Thanks. That has helped me think more clearly about sculpture in general. Curator: And your observation reminds us that every portrait is, to some extent, a creative fiction, doesn't it? And a dance between artist, subject, and period. Something to remember, eh?