Sculpting Abroad

Sculpting Abroad

Sculpting abroad analyses and reflects upon the international mobility of sculptors and their work in the nineteenth century. The creation of nation-states then coincided with an increasing international focus by artists, their commissioners, sellers, buyers and critics. Sculptors were encouraged to study abroad, and recognized for their experience and success abroad. As they were very much dependent on commissions, they had to travel to provide for their revenues. At the same time they were expected to represent the nation, and showcase their 'national school' with its specific characteristics. This volume reflects upon the theoretical and practical implications of the many aspects of transnationality, travel and (cultural) mobility on nineteenth-century sculptors, their work and their careers, by addressing the role of, among others, education, execution, commissions, exhibitions, art criticism and the art market. The main focus is on French, Belgian, Italian, British and American sculptors and their works, and well-known as well as lesser known sculptors, throughout general articles as well as specific case studies.

Sculpting Doughboys

Redressing the neglect of World War I memorials in art history scholarship and memory studies, Sculpting Doughboys considers the hundreds of sculptures of American soldiers that dominated the nation's sculptural commemorative landscape after World War I. To better understand these 'doughboys', the name given to both members of the American Expeditionary Forces and the memorials erected in their image, this volume also considers their sculptural alternatives, including depictions of motherhood, nude male allegories, and expressions of anti-militarism. It addresses why doughboy sculptures came to occupy such a significant presence in interwar commemoration, even though art critics objected to their unrefined realism, by considering the social upheavals of the Red Scare, America's burgeoning consumer and popular culture, and the ambitions and idiosyncrasies of artists and communities across the country. In doing so, this study also highlights the social and cultural tensions of the period as debates grew over art's changing role in society and as more women and immigrant sculptors vied for a place and a voice in America's public sphere. Finally, Sculpting Doughboys addresses the fate of these memorials nearly a century after they were dedicated and poses questions for reframing our relationship with war memorials today.

Sculpting the Land