Augustus Saint-Gaudens 1887 - 1908

Kenyon Cox painted this oil on canvas titled, "Augustus Saint-Gaudens" sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. This painting offers us an intimate look into the artistic practice of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, an Irish-American sculptor. Saint-Gaudens is shown here working on a relief sculpture; a medium which allowed him to combine elements of painting and sculpture. Cox’s portrayal situates Saint-Gaudens within the cultural milieu of the time, where artists often sought to reconcile classical ideals with modern life. Cox, like Saint-Gaudens, was deeply invested in the classical tradition, which is palpable in the idealized representation of the sculptor. Saint-Gaudens's dedication to his craft is clear. As he molds the clay, we are invited to reflect on the intersections of identity, labor, and artistic expression. We can consider how the artist's own background influenced his work and the stories he chose to tell through his sculptures.