Sabine Houdon (1787–1836) 1788

Curator: Jean-Antoine Houdon sculpted this marble bust of his daughter Sabine in 1788, here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It exemplifies Neoclassical ideals. Editor: My goodness, what a perfectly plump little face! Almost impossibly smooth. Does the cold, hard marble ever feel… wrong, capturing something so delicate? Curator: On the contrary! Houdon's technical skill allowed him to humanize Neoclassical sculpture. Notice the textures. The polished skin against the softly rendered curls. This wasn't just a portrait, but a display of virtue and domestic ideals championed by the Enlightenment. Editor: Right, the virtues… Still, I can’t shake the feeling she’s about to start telling me a very serious secret. You know, a kid kind of secret only a very, very important adult should hear. Curator: And what would be so secret about that? Editor: Just the slightest tilt of the head…a little mischievousness frozen in time. Although the social implications are impossible to overlook in the context of family, reputation, legacy and social roles of the bourgeoisie during the late 18th century. I just adore the way she seems to have been captured in motion, just briefly stopping to catch my gaze. Curator: Indeed! And remember Houdon himself was influential! This intimate approach countered the dominant academic style. He wasn't merely making art, he was changing artistic convention. The sculpture engages directly, in a much softer way with the audience because of the smaller scale. Editor: Which then affected domestic arrangements, which then further advanced human civilization as a whole. Art changes the world one dimple at a time, huh? Who would’ve thought? Curator: Quite so. And for a parting thought: It's worth considering how works like this served both personal and public functions during times of societal shifts, demonstrating power in different but increasingly acceptable formats of sentimental, artistic display. Editor: It is amazing that a frozen block can still invite that type of warm imagination, right? Maybe Sabine’s secret is safe, after all.