George Washington, 1786 – Terra cotta. – © Musée du Louvre. Photo: P. Philibert
Houdon from the Louvre at the Denver Art Museum
Houdon from the Louvre is an exhibition of premier portrait busts from French Enlightenment sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon, will open at the Denver Art Museum on October 11, 2008, and run through January 4, 2009
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The show includes approximately 20 sculptural works from the renowned artistportraying intellectual and political leaders, including American foundingfathers George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, as well as famous bustsof Enlightenment thinkers Denis Diderot and Voltaire and Houdon’s ownwife and children
“Visitors to the Denver Art Museum have a great opportunity to reconnectwith the history of this country through these rare works from Houdon, whowas truly a master of his craft,” said Timothy Standring, Gates FoundationCurator of Painting and Sculpture. “These iconic portraits of some of themost significant leaders of nations and thought will give visitors a rare andin-depth look at one of the Louvre’s internationally treasured collections.”
Exhibition highlights include a bust of General George Washington, thenation’s first president. For the creation of the work, Houdon traveled toMt. Vernon, Virginia, in 1785 to meet and study Washington in person.Houdon and three assistants spent two weeks in Virginia making a mold ofWashington’s face and returned to France to complete the final bust.Family and contemporaries said the finished product was the best likenessof him ever created. The bust was actually the basis for the depiction of Washington on the U.S. quartercoin
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