Louise Adele Gould 1904

This marble bust of Louise Adele Gould, made by Augustus Saint-Gaudens, feels cool and smooth to the touch. You can almost feel the grit beneath the artist's hands. Imagine Saint-Gaudens starting with a solid block, then slowly chipping away, finding the form hidden inside. A face emerges with the barest of marks. Notice how the cool white marble gives her an ethereal quality, like she's a dream. Saint-Gaudens coaxes the marble into soft folds in her drapery. I wonder, was he thinking about classical sculptures, trying to capture that same timeless beauty? Artists are always in conversation with each other, even across centuries. They build on what came before, adding their own spin. It’s like a game of telephone, but instead of mishearing, they’re reinterpreting, reimagining. And we get to listen in.