---

The nude figure is commonly used as a subject in art. The word nude refers to the artistic representation of an unclothed human figure, especially in sculpture and painting. Yet, each figure is unique in its own right. Gaston Lachaise excelled at and mastered the nude sculpture, both male and female.

The Life of an Artist

The son of a woodcarver and cabinetmaker, Gaston Lachaise was born on March 19, 1882 in Paris. At the age of five, Lachaise ventured from his mother’s side and into his father’s studio. The protective, creative eyes of his father watched silently as the future sculptor created a bénitier, or a font for holy water. By the age of thirteen, Lachaise had enrolled in the École Bernard Pallissy, a well-known and respected school for the artist and craftsman. After three years, he transferred to the École Nationale des Beaux-Arts, where he excelled at his training. His first job was with glassmaker and decorative artist René Lalique. In 1900, Lachaise met his artistic inspiration and future wife, Isabel Dutand Nagle. As were many other young men his age, he was called into military service three years later. During his term of service, Lachaise assisted the military physician with technical drawings. Because of his stature as an excellent student and as the sole provider for his recently-widowed mother, Lachaise was discharged from military duty in less than one year. In 1906, he left his native country to follow Isabel from France to Boston.

Lachaise’s formal training had not prepared him for how quickly he would be expected to sculpt the human figure in America. He found employment with Henry Hudson Kitson working on a Civil War memorial. As Kitson’s assistant, Lachaise concentrated on the work’s minute details, such as buttons, buckles, weapons, cartridges, and flags. The project with Kitson opened a door of opportunity and took him to New York where he created Standing Woman. This nude female figure was modeled after Isabel. While in New York, Lachaise assembled his first one-man show in 1916. The show was delayed due to America’s involvement in World War I, but when it eventually opened it proved a success. An article printed in The Dial in reaction to the show read: “As his works prove, he has no use for prettiness. This work of his, a crisp and tireless searching for the truths of nature as against the facts of existence, negates incidentally, as Cézanne’s solid strivings negate Monet.” Lachaise’s second exhibition consisted of sixteen sculptures and fourteen drawings. It too was successful, although no purchases were made. By then, Lachaise had been offered many memberships in various societies and organizations. He turned down every offer, proclaiming his desire to become an independent sculptor. He felt that becoming a member of any establishment would have greatly hindered that claim. Following a dental extraction in 1935, Lachaise was taken to the hospital for the unhealed wound’s incessant bleeding. He later died on October 18, 1935.

Lachaise's Sculptures

Gaston Lachaise's treatment of the female figure was a great contribution to the art world. His artistic talent shows through in his renderings of the female nude in various poses: standing, striding, with extended arms, combing hair, reclined, or seated. He emphasized the torso, legs, and face; femininity, voluptuous lines, poise, and energy are conveyed in almost every work. Yet, at the same time Lachaise was intrigued by the heroic man, a counterpart to his recreated Venus. Made prior to his death in 1935, Man was his final attempt at capturing this hero. The soft, graceful, sensual lines of Standing Woman are absent in her counterpart. Towering eight feet in height, the original Man was created in plaster and exhibited at the newly-opened Museum of Modern Art in New York. Although he began the work in 1930, the bronze cast was not completed until 1935. The finished work now stands 8 1/2 feet and weighs 1100 pounds. The face of Man was modeled after Edward Nagle, the artist's stepson, and Lincoln Kirstein, a contemporary of Lachaise. The work embodies numerous masculine virtues: presence, strength, prowess, and confidence. Massive hands denote his ability to hold and potentially transport heavy objects. The figure's broad chest and upright posture suggest virility and dexterity. With legs shoulder-width apart, his stance denotes confidence. Through and through, Lachaise portrayed the heroic man with dignity and power.

Use your investigating eyes and take a moment to look at the surface of this work of art. Does the surface look smooth or slightly rough?

If the sculpture is cast bronze, why has its color faded or changed?

What kinds of tools would a sculptor need to complete a work of art this large?

From an early age, Gaston Lachaise would delve into his artistic self. Institutions of higher learning would educate and hone his skills, but the inspiration he found in the human figure would be the recurring theme of his life's work.

- Emily Forehand, 2003 Summer Intern
Channon M. Humphrey

SOURCES

Janson, H. W. History of Art: A Survey of the Major Visual Arts from the Dawn of History to the Present Day. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc. and New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1969.

Kirstein, Lincoln. Gaston Lachaise Retrospective Exhibition, January 30-March 7, 1935. New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1935.

Kramer, Hilton. The Sculpture of Gaston Lachaise. New York: The Eakins Press Publishers, 1967.

Nordland, Gerald. Gaston Lachaise 1882-1935: Sculptures and Drawings. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1964.

• email this page | Print this page
• site map | + font size — | contact us

©2008 Chrysler Museum of Art Copyright Info

245 West Olney Road, Norfolk, Virginia 23510 757.664.6200