Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 14

Rare American Marble Bust of Classical Woman by Thomas Ridgeway Gould

About the Item

THOMAS RIDGEWAY GOULD United States, 1818-1881 Bust of a Classical Woman (1872) Carved Cararra marble signed to the reverse "T.R. GOULD fecit / FLORENCE / 1872" Item # 407NXP09P An exceedingly rare example of Gould's work, this bust of a classical woman is intentionally made timeless by the use of a classical Greek toga for her garment. While the sitter is unknown, her tangible features leaves you as the viewer with a very real sense of encounter. Far from being a vanity bust, Gould captures her as she is; her powerful gaze and well of energy juxtapose the slight slackening of skin, the subtle sag to her jawline giving hint to a lurking double chin. Her features are firm but not severe, showing resolve and determination while revealing some personality. The present example was completed while Gould managed his atelier in Florence from 1868 through 1878. It is signed in his typical script to the reverse. THOMAS RIDGEWAY GOULD Born in Boston, Massachusetts on November 5th of 1818, Thomas Ridgeway Gould was initially engaged in his family's dry-goods business together with his brother. He had a passion for sculpture and began studying the art under Seth Cheney in 1851. This sideline hobby became his vocation when he was ruined financially during the downturn of business he suffered during the Civil War, which fortuitously forced him to turn his full attentions on his art as a portraitist. His first exhibit was at the Boston Athenaeum in 1864 where he showed two religious works: Christ and Satan; two romantic works: Good and Evil; and several portraits. It was no simple feat at 40 years of age with a family relying on him, but he was remarkably adept in portraiture and was a keen observer of the subtle elements that most completely capture the essence of his sitters. His brilliant depictions of Christ and Satan were each conceived as individual stand-alone works despite being so often discussed as a contrasting pair. His piercing insight and subtlety in Satan is so completely understated that it is without doubt one of his finest accomplishments. As Gould had no formal education and never attended an Academy on either side of the Atlantic, he rooted his work in Antiquity and drew inspiration from Greek and Roman models while embuing each with an entirely unique and modern ideal. While this drew him criticism from the Academic circles, his work stands apart as fresh and spirited. Seeking to enhance his skills and access superior materials, Gould moved his atelier and his family to Florence in 1868, joining a large community of American and English expatriates working their craft there. He spent ten years in Italy before returning to the United States. One of his most widely recognized sculptures is "The West Wind" of 1870, a brilliant model that won acclaim for its fluidity and sense of movement, capturing the essence of natural forces with poetic expression that speaks softly through the unyielding cold marble. It was perhaps his most controversial sculpture, as he was accused of plagiarising Antonio Canova's "Hebe". The negative attention ultimately proved rather positive for his business when the matter was decided in his favor and the sculpture became one of his most cherished creations. Measurements: 20 1/2" H x 10" D x 19" W Condition Report: Professionally cleaned and conserved; trace discoloration and staining throughout the garment and to the reverse of the socle; light chipping to edges in a few areas; a few scratches to the marble in several areas on the garment and in a few areas throughout; an overall matte texture to the surface; lacking a plinth (one can be fabricated on request); a very fine presentation. About silla antiques & art Established in 2009, we have available in our 9000 square foot brick-and-mortar gallery an ever-changing selection of carefully curated and catalogued furniture, decorative arts, paintings, sculpture and estate jewelry. Our company has long specialized in sculpture circa 1860 through 1930 and as such the gallery always has a very large collection of exceptional European and American sculpture available on display. The gallery is located at 117 W Burd Street in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania and is open by appointment only. We welcome your visit and would love to meet with you at the shop. For clients located outside of the area, we are always available to discuss items by video conferencing or by phone.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 20.5 in (52.07 cm)Width: 19 in (48.26 cm)Depth: 10 in (25.4 cm)
  • Style:
    Neoclassical (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1872
  • Condition:
  • Seller Location:
    Shippensburg, PA
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: 407NXP09P1stDibs: LU1059041723852

More From This Seller

View All
American Marble Bust Sculpture of Classical Woman by Joseph Mozier ca. 1851
By Joseph Mozier
Located in Shippensburg, PA
JOSEPH MOZIER United States, 1812-1870 Bust of a Classical Young Woman (1851) Carved Cararra marble Signed to the reverse "J. MOZIER, Sc: ROME 1851" Item # 406QSO30A A stunningl...
Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Carrara Marble

Art Nouveau Bronze Sculpture “Bust of a Woman” by Cesare Ceribelli
By Cesar Constantino Ceribelli
Located in Shippensburg, PA
CESARE CONSTANTINO CERIBELLI Italian, 1841-1918 "Bust of a Young Woman" Polychromed and chemically patinated bronze signed to the reverse shoulder "C. Ceribelli" raised on origin...
Category

20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Busts

Materials

Marble, Bronze

American Modernist Sculpture Bust of a Man by Lucile Leslie Swan & Valsuani
By Valsuani Foundry
Located in Shippensburg, PA
Lucile Leslie Swan United States, 1890-1965 Bust of a Man Lost-wax patinated bronze signed in cast "L. Leslie /33", sealed verso "A. VALSUANI cire perdue" Item # 410REP02A Cast using the lost-wax method the Valsuani foundry was renowned for perfecting, this fine modernist bust showcases loose modeling to create a chaotic surface while articulating an exactiingly realist sense of her sitter. His powerful features and stoic profile evoke a character of great seriousness. The bust is cast hollow and is raised on an early wooden plinth. Leslie Swan (born Lucile Swan, May 10, 1890, Sioux City, Iowa) was an American sculptor and painter, known for her sensitive and evocative portrayals of human figures, informed by her extensive travels and intellectual exchanges. After receiving early education at an Episcopal boarding school, she moved to Chicago in 1903 and began her studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1908. In 1912, she married fellow artist Jerome Blum. Over the next decade, Swan’s artistic career took her to Corsica, Japan, China, Tahiti, and France, where she immersed herself in the diverse cultures and artistic traditions she encountered. In 1924, following her divorce, Swan relocated to New York City, where she continued her work as both a painter and sculptor. Five years later, she accepted a significant commission from the Cenozoic Laboratory in Beijing, beginning a transformative period in her career. It was in China that she met the philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, and their friendship would profoundly influence her work and life. Swan's portrait bust of Teilhard, now housed at the Museum of Natural History in Paris, remains one of her most celebrated pieces. She also created a reconstruction of the Sinanthropus skull, a project supervised by German anatomist Franz Weidenreich. During her time in Beijing, Swan modeled a variety of subjects, from Western intellectuals to local Chinese figures. Her sculptures of children, Chinese jugglers, and sword dancers...
Category

20th Century American Busts

Materials

Bronze

English Antique Marble Bust “Lady Layard” by John Warrington Wood ca. 1870
Located in Shippensburg, PA
JOHN WARRINGTON WOOD British, 1839-1886 Bust of a Woman, almost certainly depicting Lady Layard (1870) Carrara marble signed to the reverse "WARRINGTON WOOD SCULPT ROMA 1870" Item # 405UGP17Q A very finely carved marble bust that almost certainly depicts Lady Layard (British, 1843-1912) at 27 years of age. While the bust is not titled, John Warrington Wood had a relationship with the family, first sculpting Lady Mary Enid Evelyn Layard's husband and cousin Henry Austin Layard the year before in London in 1869. Wood exhibited that bust at the Royal Academy in 1870 and the same year Lady Layard would have sat down with him in Rome for the completion of this bust. Interestingly, Henry Layard decided he did not like the bust that was completed of him and eventually re-commissioned Wood to complete the bust again 12 years later in 1881, that example held in the permanent collection of The National Gallery in London. The same year, John Warrington Wood executed a second bust of Lady Layard that is held in the permanent collection of the British Museum of Art (acc. no. OA.10557). It is interesting to view the painting completed by Vicente Palmaroli y González...
Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Carrara Marble

American Bronze Sculpture Bust Percy Shelley (1912) by William Partridge
By Roman Bronze Works
Located in Shippensburg, PA
WILLIAM ORDWAY PARTRIDGE American, 1861-1930 Portrait Bust of Percy Bysshe Shelley (modeled 1899, cast ca. 1912) Bronze, lost-wax cast and patinated, situated over a honed marble p...
Category

20th Century American Busts

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Rare British Bronze Sculpture “Snake Charmer” (1876) by Sir Thomas Brock
Located in Shippensburg, PA
SIR THOMAS BROCK R.A. British, 1847-1922 "Snake Charmer" (1876) Sand-cast and patinated bronze Unsigned, chiseled foundry mark for COX & SONS FOUNDERS cast circa 1880 Item # 409...
Category

Antique 19th Century English Romantic Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

You May Also Like

Thomas Ridgeway Gould, a Rare American White Marble Bust of a Woman
Located in New York, NY
Thomas Ridgeway Gould (1818-1881) an extremely rare American White Marble Bust of A Woman, circa 1870. Depicting a beautiful woman with her hair double row, braided in a bun. Ver...
Category

Antique 19th Century French Busts

Materials

Marble

A Rare and Important American Marble Sculpture of Thomas Jefferson, Circa 1870
Located in New York, NY
A Rare and Important American White Marble Sculpture of Thomas Jefferson Holding The Declaration of Independence. Circa 1870, in the Manner of Horatio Stone (1808 –1875). Inscribed on scroll: 'The Declaration of Independence, It becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another. etc. etc. T. Jefferson. The present work is unsigned but is reminiscent of Horatio Stone's life-size marble figure of John Hancock...
Category

Antique 19th Century American American Classical Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble

Large Marble Bust of a Classical Maiden
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Large Marble Bust of a Classical Maiden Height 33 in., Width 23 in., Depth 13 in.
Category

20th Century Busts

Materials

Marble

Classical Style Two Tone Marble Bust
Located in Southall, GB
A striking green and white marble male bust. Detailed and skilfully carved with additional decoration on the breastplate showing a lions head. The males profile is presented with ruf...
Category

Late 20th Century European Neoclassical Busts

Materials

Marble

Classical Style Two Tone Marble Bust
$4,976 Sale Price
20% Off
Gilt Bronze and White Marble Bust of a Woman by Gory
By Affortunato Gory
Located in London, GB
This charming sculpture of a young woman is the work of the accomplished Italian-born sculptor, Affortunato Gory (1895-1925). Gory is best-known for his sculptures of women and child...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Neoclassical Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Marble, Ormolu, Bronze

Italian Bronze Bust of a Woman in the Classical Manner on Marble Base
Located in Dallas, TX
An Italian bronze bust of a woman in the classical manner by Fonderia Veraldi, Napoli.
Category

Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Revival Busts

Materials

Marble, Bronze

Recently Viewed

View All