Explore Bust of a Man

Read About This Sculpture by Francis Harwood

With noble bearing, this man proudly holds his chin high above his powerful chest. Sculptor Francis Harwood chose a black stone to reproduce the sitter’s skin tone. Harwood also chose an unusual antique format for the bust, ending the base in a wide arc below the man’s pectoral muscles. Harwood was familiar with antique sculptures from his time spent in Florence, Italy reproducing and copying them. He may have deliberately used this elegant, rounded base, which includes the entire, unclothed chest and shoulders in the style of ancient busts of notable men.

This bust is unique among Harwood’s works in that it appears to be a portrait of a sitter who lived during Harwood’s time. It is also of great historical importance because it is one of the earliest known sculpted representations of an African individual by a western European artist since antiquity. Although the sitter is unidentified, his muscular torso and detailed features—seen in the bags under the eyes, the small ears, dignified expression, and scar on the face—suggest that this is a portrait of a specific individual. These characteristics distinguish Harwood’s sculpture from the decorative and generalized busts of Africans which were more commonly produced in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Questions

Write or discuss your responses.

• Look closely at the sculpture. What do you see?
• How do you think the man feels? What do you see that makes you say so? Look closely at the tilt of the man’s head, shoulders, and chest. Mimic the pose.
• What elements in the man’s face and body lead you to believe that this is a portrait of a particular individual rather than a generalized portrait?
• Why would a sculptor in 1758 want to associate his subject with ancient busts of notable men?

A sculpture that shows only a person’s head, neck, and shoulders.

Artworks showing what a specific person looks like. A portrait may look a lot like a person or show idealized characteristics.