Mother and Child (Gordine)
Encyclopedia
Mother and Child is a public artwork by Russian-British artist Dora Gordine
, located at the Indianapolis Museum of Art
(IMA), which is near downtown Indianapolis
, Indiana
. The cast bronze artwork was created in 1964 and portrays a woman kneeling beside a small child, both figures displaying joyful poses and expressions.
The second figure, a small, nude boy, stands just behind the mother's right foot, angled toward the proper left of the artwork. He holds a dramatized running pose, his right leg bent and extending behind him off the ground. His back arches as both of his arms reach up and grasp the right hand of the mother.
The surface of the bronze is textured with short hatched lines. The patina is a powdery light blue-green, fairly uniform in appearance.
The group weighs approximately 450 lbs. It sits on a limestone pedestal that measures 32” x 96” x 28”.
Foundry marks are located in the same area:
foundry in London. It is the second of two castings and was made by the artist specifically for the IMA. The museum has owned the artwork since 1964, making it the earliest accessioned outdoor sculpture on display.
and the IMA's main campus, which displays contemporary art.
in 1895. She was raised in Estonia
and St. Petersburg, and lived the majority of her adult life in London
at Dorich House.
Gordine was a successful artist throughout the 1940s and 1950s, exhibiting regularly at the Royal Academy and doing many sculptural portraits for members of London society. She also traveled and lectured on multiple occasions in the United States. Her career ended in the 1970s and she died in 1991.
Dora Gordine
Dora Gordine, FRBS aka La Gordine, was a British sculptress.-Early career to 1939:Dora Gordine's childhood has not been well documented. There is confusion over her date of birth with various dates 1895 , 1898 and 1906 mentioned...
, located at the Indianapolis Museum of Art
Indianapolis Museum of Art
The Indianapolis Museum of Art is an encyclopedic art museum located in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The museum, which underwent a $74 million expansion in 2005, is located on a campus on the near northwest area outside downtown Indianapolis, northwest of Crown Hill Cemetery.The...
(IMA), which is near downtown Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
. The cast bronze artwork was created in 1964 and portrays a woman kneeling beside a small child, both figures displaying joyful poses and expressions.
Description
This cast bronze sculptural group shows two human figures linked by their hands. The dominant figure, much larger and central to the artwork, is a woman (the mother) who kneels so that her lower body is angled toward the proper right of the artwork. She seems to rest her weight on the knee of her folded left leg, while her right leg is outstretched in nearly the same direction as the left. Her torso is turned dramatically to her left in such a way that her outstretched arms, horizontal and aligned with her shoulders, are parallel to her right leg, and her face and shoulders are angled just slightly to the proper right of a frontal focus. She wears a thin, flowing garment, and her hair is tied back.The second figure, a small, nude boy, stands just behind the mother's right foot, angled toward the proper left of the artwork. He holds a dramatized running pose, his right leg bent and extending behind him off the ground. His back arches as both of his arms reach up and grasp the right hand of the mother.
The surface of the bronze is textured with short hatched lines. The patina is a powdery light blue-green, fairly uniform in appearance.
The group weighs approximately 450 lbs. It sits on a limestone pedestal that measures 32” x 96” x 28”.
Identifying Marks
Cast into lowest edge of the mother’s skirt, the artist’s signature and edition number can be found. They appear as follows:- Dora Gordine 2/2
Foundry marks are located in the same area:
- CIRE PERDUE
- Morris
- Singer
- FOUNDERY (sic)
- LONDON
Historical information
Mother and Child was created in 1964 by the lost wax process by the Morris SingerMorris Singer
Morris Singer is a British art foundry, established in 1848, famous for its sculptures, including Eros, the lions at Trafalgar Square and the doors to the Bank of England, plus also the figures of Henry Moore....
foundry in London. It is the second of two castings and was made by the artist specifically for the IMA. The museum has owned the artwork since 1964, making it the earliest accessioned outdoor sculpture on display.
Other versions
The original casting of Mother and Child was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth of England to adorn the entrance of the Royal Marsden Cancer Centre in Sutton, Surrey. This casting was unveiled at the hospital by the Queen in 1963.Location history
The artwork was first displayed in the auditorium of the IMA's previous building, and it remained indoors until the museum moved to its current building. Since then, other than removal for conservation attention, Mother and Child has been on view at the IMA on the boundary between OldfieldsOldfields
Oldfields also known as Lilly House and Gardens, is a 26 acre historic estate and house museum on the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The estate, an example of the American country house movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was...
and the IMA's main campus, which displays contemporary art.
Acquisition
The IMA acquired Mother and Child upon its completion in 1964, when the museum was still known as the Art Association of Indianapolis. Its cost was covered by a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Anton Hulman, Jr.Artist
Dora Gordine was born in LatviaLatvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
in 1895. She was raised in Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
and St. Petersburg, and lived the majority of her adult life in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
at Dorich House.
Gordine was a successful artist throughout the 1940s and 1950s, exhibiting regularly at the Royal Academy and doing many sculptural portraits for members of London society. She also traveled and lectured on multiple occasions in the United States. Her career ended in the 1970s and she died in 1991.