$18,000
1924 cast bronze 13 w x 6¾ d x 14 h in (33 x 17 x 36 cm)
Cast signature and date to side 'Isamu 1924' with cast title 'Giorgina' and impressed foundry marks to side 'Roman Bronze Works N-Y'
Noguchis early figurative sculptures were powerful works that set direct precedents for his later biomorphic idiom.
Learning portraiture in the studio of Gutzon Borglum in the early 1920s, Noguchi mastered the nuances of the human form. Following this, he went on to work under Italian artist Onorio Ruotolo in New York where he further perfected his Greco-roman styled sculptures.
Though the plaster cast of Giorgina is clearly illustrated in the catalogue raisonne, the history of the subsequent bronze works is lost. Many of Noguchis early works were cast at New Yorks Roman Bronze Works, a foundry that suffered a damaging fire in 1927 that destroyed all paperwork dating from 1920 through 1927. As a result, official documentation and records from this period are nonextant. Giorgina is one of several works that was most likely cast during this time.
Due to the fire, authentication is simply impossible; there is no way to know which exact works were cast nor when. Castings from this period cannot be verified, nor denied, but interest in them remains. Noguchis masterful artistry is evident in the original plaster version and this bronze cast captures the same depth and subtly of his art. literature: The Sculpture of Isamu Noguchi, 1924-1979: A Ca
Auctioneer:
Wright Auctions
Date:
2008-05-20
