Titan c. 1910 - 1911

This bronze figure, Titan, was created by Abraham Hesselink. Just look at that green patina - the result of time and weather. I imagine Hesselink, wrestling with the weight of the clay, building up this figure, bit by bit. And what’s so interesting is the pose, coiled, like he's ready to spring. You feel the potential energy, and it makes me think about the dynamism present in Baroque sculpture, the drama. It's as though Hesselink wanted to capture a fleeting moment of intense anticipation, of what's about to happen, and freeze it forever in bronze. The surface texture is also great - it has a roughness that contrasts with the smooth, idealized form of the figure. Like, I wonder, what was he thinking about while building this? What stories of mythology and the body? Ultimately, this piece reminds us that art is a conversation across centuries, inspiring new forms of expression and embodied movement.