Isobel 1933

Jacob Epstein made this striking sculpture, Isobel, out of bronze. The texture is everything here; it’s not smoothed out or prettified. The piece feels ancient, doesn’t it? Like something unearthed, with all the marks of time showing, but not in a sad way. Look at her hair, those chunky curls. They have an almost abstract quality, like they’re made of stone, not hair. Then there’s the drapery, clinging to her body, with all these little pleats and folds. You can almost feel the artist’s hands working the clay, pushing and pulling, leaving their trace. It reminds me of something Rodin might have done, but with a more grounded feel. Both artists capture something real, not idealized. It’s like they’re saying, “Here is a body, in all its imperfect glory.” It’s beautiful, in a way that’s both intimate and monumental. Art doesn’t need to be slick to be powerful. Sometimes, it’s the roughness that gets you.