Relief Portrait of a Young Lady
Artist
Richard Saltonstall Greenough
CultureAmerican
Date19th century
MediumMarble
DimensionsOverall: 19 5/8 x 12 1/2 x 7 1/4 in. (49.8 x 31.8 x 18.4 cm)
Credit LineGift of James H. Ricau and Museum purchase
Object number86.470
Not on view
DescriptionRelief marble portrait of a young lady facing right.Label TextRichard Saltonstall Greenough American (1819-1904) Relief Portrait of a Young Lady, modeled by 1883, carved ca. 1883 Marble Gift of James H. Ricau and Museum purchase 86.470 A popular form among America's neoclassic sculptors, relief sculpture had been favored since antiquity for both ideal subject matter and specific portraits. Though Richard Greenough's art was often overshadowed by the sculptural achievement of his older brother Horatio, his penchant for precise detail is beautifully revealed in this relief portrait of a young girl. The carefully worked profile image sits crisply on the surface, emerging in high relief from its marble backdrop. While some have suggested that this is a straightforward portrait of a young lady, others have argued that it may be an ideal subject, depicting Shakespeare's Juliet, for example, or Dante's Beatrice. Exhibition History"The Ricau Collection," The Chrysler Museum, Norfolk, Va., February 26 - April 23, 1989.
