- 38
William Wetmore Story
Estimate
30,000 - 50,000 GBP
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Description
- William Wetmore Story
- Self-portrait bust
- signed and dated: W.W. STORY / ROME 1887
- white marble, on a white marble socle
Provenance
Thomas Waldo Story;
by direct family descent
by direct family descent
Condition
Overall the condition of the marble is very good, with dirt and minor wear to the surface consistent with age. There is a light layer of dirt to the surface throughout. There are a few naturally occurring inclusions which have been filled, notably one to the proper left nostril, one to the proper left eyelid, one to the proper left earlobe, and one to the top edge of the hat at the front. There is a small area of possible inclusions with some dirt to the proper left side of the chest. There are a few small white paint marks, notably to the back. There are a few minor abrasions around the edges, and one to the collar at the back. The truncation at the back is inscribed in pencil below the signature: PRESENTED BY WALDO STORY (crossed out) / Rimane a Roma
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
This superbly carved bust provides a powerful image of one of America's most celebrated sculptors, William Wetmore Story. It is at once a professional statement and a deeply personal object, both in its status as self-portrait, and in its provenance, having remained in the collection of Story's descendants until now.
Born in Salem, Massachusetts, Story came from a distinguished legal family. He was a man of immense versatility as a lawyer, in which he graduated in 1840, as an author of poetry, prose and drama, and as a critic of art in all its forms, all of which made him an eminent host and focus for the Anglo-American community in Rome. Story settled in the Eternal City in 1856. Among his most important ideal works are Sappho (1836) in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Medea (1865) and Cleopatra (1858) in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Although he was less prolific in the field of portraiture, Story's entry into the profession of sculpture was in fact provided by the commission to produce a memorial sculpture of his father, Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story, which was completed in 1855.
Story's self-portrait bust, of which another version is housed in the Fogg Art Museum of Harvard University, was commissioned by the sculptor's most significant patron and collector, Count János Pálffy, in 1886. The commission is documented in a letter to Story's brother-in-law James Eldredge, dated 20 November 1886, in which the sculptor writes: '...I am now modelling a bust of myself (!!!) for Count Palffy, before beginning my winter's work in the studio.' It is noteworthy that Story depicted himself in the artist's apparel, careful to project the image of professionalism at issue for an American and former lawyer who was largely self-taught in the art of sculpture. Story is also known to have shunned any appearance of Bohemianism, in keeping with his upper-class American status as the son of a prominent Supreme Court Justice, as well as his desire to move in the aristocratic British circles of his patrons.
The fact that Story executed more than one version of his portrait bust suggests that he considered it an important self-image, both to further his public persona, and as a memento for his family, in whose possession the present version has remained for more than a century.
RELATED LITERATURE
W. H. Gerdts, 'William Wetmore Story', American Art Journal, November 1972, pp. 16-33 and fig. 1
We are grateful to Dr. Kathy Lawrence, Associate Fellow, Yale University, for her assistance in cataloguing this lot.
Born in Salem, Massachusetts, Story came from a distinguished legal family. He was a man of immense versatility as a lawyer, in which he graduated in 1840, as an author of poetry, prose and drama, and as a critic of art in all its forms, all of which made him an eminent host and focus for the Anglo-American community in Rome. Story settled in the Eternal City in 1856. Among his most important ideal works are Sappho (1836) in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Medea (1865) and Cleopatra (1858) in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Although he was less prolific in the field of portraiture, Story's entry into the profession of sculpture was in fact provided by the commission to produce a memorial sculpture of his father, Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story, which was completed in 1855.
Story's self-portrait bust, of which another version is housed in the Fogg Art Museum of Harvard University, was commissioned by the sculptor's most significant patron and collector, Count János Pálffy, in 1886. The commission is documented in a letter to Story's brother-in-law James Eldredge, dated 20 November 1886, in which the sculptor writes: '...I am now modelling a bust of myself (!!!) for Count Palffy, before beginning my winter's work in the studio.' It is noteworthy that Story depicted himself in the artist's apparel, careful to project the image of professionalism at issue for an American and former lawyer who was largely self-taught in the art of sculpture. Story is also known to have shunned any appearance of Bohemianism, in keeping with his upper-class American status as the son of a prominent Supreme Court Justice, as well as his desire to move in the aristocratic British circles of his patrons.
The fact that Story executed more than one version of his portrait bust suggests that he considered it an important self-image, both to further his public persona, and as a memento for his family, in whose possession the present version has remained for more than a century.
RELATED LITERATURE
W. H. Gerdts, 'William Wetmore Story', American Art Journal, November 1972, pp. 16-33 and fig. 1
We are grateful to Dr. Kathy Lawrence, Associate Fellow, Yale University, for her assistance in cataloguing this lot.