Sculpture, a three-dimensional art form, is an ancient tradition. Artists can work in a several materials (such as clay, metal, wood) using several methods (including carving, molding). The Portland Art Museum in Portland, Oregon has examples of several kinds of sculpture.
Portrait of the Marquis de Lubersac
Made in 1772 by French artist Augustin Pajou (1730-1809); terracotta
According to PAM:
“Augustin Pajou was a successful sculptor who worked for the French royal family as well as the mistress of King Louis XV, Madame du Barry. He was a specialist in terracotta, which allows for remarkably fresh, fast, and direct portraits.”
According to PAM:
“This dignified young man is a toddler, Pierre, the Marquis de Lubersac. He was at most two years old when Pajou sculpted his portrait bust.”
Tète de femme (Fernande)
Made in 1909 by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso (1881-1973); bronze
Picasso asked:
“Are we to paint what’s on the face, what’s inside the face, or what’s behind it?”
According to PAM:
“This is a portrait bust of Picasso’s lover, the artist and model Fernande Olivier. The work is one of the earliest in his fully Cubist style, notable for the breaking of form into cube-like elements.”
Portrait of Dr. A…
Made in 1844 by French artist Dominique Maggesi (1807-1892); marble
According to PAM:
“Dominique Maggesi hails from the capital of marble, Carrara, Italy, but moved to Bordeaux, France, where he made this intriguing portrait bust.”
La Masseuse
Made about 1882-8 by French artist Edgar Degas (1834-1917); bronze
According to PAM:
“Edgar Degas left many unfinished works of art. He made 73 small was sculptures during his later years that he never cast because he wanted to keep working on them. After his death, a friend had them cast in bronze.”
According to PAM:
“The sense of tough and the intimacy shown here is, by this point in his career, highly refined. The sketch-like quality is one of the hallmarks of the impressionist movement.”
Crouching Woman
Made in 1880-82 by French artist Auguste Rodin (1840-1917); bronze
According to PAM:
“Like many of Auguste Rodin’as sculptures, this contorted woman was derived from on the figures of the damned in his monumental Gates of Hell, based on the Renaissance poet Dante’s Inferno.”
Note: These photographs were taken on September 3, 2025.
More art museums
Museum of Glass: Some Black women artists (photo diary)
Museums 101: Rodin's Vase of Titans (Photo Diary)
Museum of Arts and Culture: Copper sculpture by Harold Balazs (photo diary)
Museums 101: Auguste Rodin in the Portland Art Museum (Photo Diary)
Portland Art Museum: Sculpture by American artists (photo diary)
Portland Art Museum: Some modern art sculptures (photo diary)
Missoula Art Museum: Contemporary folk animals (photo diary)
Montana Museum: Three-dimensional art (photo diary)
