Michel-Jean Sedaine
Bust
1775 (dated)
1775 (dated)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Michel-Jean Sedaine (1719-1797), poet and dramatist, was a personal friend of Pajou, who also executed a bust of Madame Sedaine (now in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston).
At the time this bust was made, Pajou was a very successful sculptor in Paris and Sedaine, here aged 56, was a well-established and highly-regarded librettist for opera. The friendship of the two is well documented. This bust is recorded as having been in the possession of Sedaine's family for a long time.
This is a very good example of Pajou's powerful analysis of character, and sensitive, but assured, portrait style.
At the time this bust was made, Pajou was a very successful sculptor in Paris and Sedaine, here aged 56, was a well-established and highly-regarded librettist for opera. The friendship of the two is well documented. This bust is recorded as having been in the possession of Sedaine's family for a long time.
This is a very good example of Pajou's powerful analysis of character, and sensitive, but assured, portrait style.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Michel-Jean Sedaine (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Terracotta |
| Brief description | Bust, terracotta, of the poet and dramatist Michel-Jean Sedaine, by Augustin Pajou, France, dated 1775 |
| Physical description | Bust in terracotta of Michel-Jean Sedaine. The subject is facing towards his half right, wearing a loose coat and a frilled shirt open at the neck, his wig 'en queue'. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'Pajou fe 1775' (at the back) |
| Gallery label |
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| Object history | Bought, Sotheby's for £250, in 1959, property of a gentleman. Formerly David-Weill collection. The bust was long in the possession of the sitter's family. |
| Historical context | On the circular wooden base is written: Sedaine Fait par Pajou. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Michel-Jean Sedaine (1719-1797), poet and dramatist, was a personal friend of Pajou, who also executed a bust of Madame Sedaine (now in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston). At the time this bust was made, Pajou was a very successful sculptor in Paris and Sedaine, here aged 56, was a well-established and highly-regarded librettist for opera. The friendship of the two is well documented. This bust is recorded as having been in the possession of Sedaine's family for a long time. This is a very good example of Pajou's powerful analysis of character, and sensitive, but assured, portrait style. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.27-1959 |
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| Record created | March 2, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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