catalog text
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 stunningly beautiful carved Carrara marble bust of an unidentified sitter, the young woman portrayed is captured with the most extraordinary hair. Mozier spared no effort in his modeling of her hair into a complex braided composition that is tied back in a series of orderly knots. The harsh and cold stone is made almost airy and weightless by his treatment of the hair, which falls on either side of her face in a gentle drape.
It is unfortunate that we have not as yet been able to identify the model, as her strong features are distinct and evoke a woman with substance and personality. Her features are simple and her cheeks are tugged by only the faintest smile as it dances across her lips over a strong jaw line and full chin.
Most elaborate of all is the faint but fully developed bas-relief decorations of her classical garment, which moves across her body and through the folds and curves of the fabric with such utterly perfect realism that it almost feels tangible. Extraordinary skill would have been demanded to complete the fabric to such a high standard and the cost of the work necessarily prohibitive, which is likely why the decoration does not extend beyond the face of the shoulders, the sides of the arms and back of the garment left undecorated and austere. The bust is signed in his typical script to the reverse and is dated to 1851.
JOSEPH MOZIER (1812-1870)
Joseph Mozier was born in Burlington, Vermont, on August 22, 1812. Mozier initially pursued work in New York City as a merchant before abandoning his business career in 1845 to become a sculptor. Settling first in Florence, he studied under the eminent American sculptor Hiram Powers but later relocated to Rome shortly thereafter. From 1853 to 1869 he listed his address as being Rome for his exhibitions at the PAFA. He worked to distance himself from Powers' influence and seeking to define himself independently as a sculptor. He proceeded to spend the rest of his life in Italy, making trips to the United States where he cultivated a broad clientele and showed his work at many of the major exhibitions.
Mozier became a prominent figure within the circle of American expatriate sculptors in Italy, which included influential artists such as Powers, Greenough, and Ives. He developed a reputation for sculpting idealized female figures, often inspired by models of Antiquity, and his works are distinguished by their grace and technical skill. Among his most celebrated pieces is Undine (1867), a marble depiction of the water nymph from Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué’s novella, which earned him critical acclaim and a grand prize in Rome.
His oeuvre also reflects a distinctly American sensibility, drawing from the nation's literary and historical figures. Works like Pocahontas and The Wept of Wish-ton-Wish, based on James Fenimore Cooper’s novel, speak to his desire to explore American themes within the grand tradition of European marble sculpture. His work often revisited biblical and ethical subjects, his two most well-received being The Prodigal Son and Jephthah’s Daughter. Mozier’s work resonated with visitors to his Roman studio, including the American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne, who praised Mozier’s craftsmanship and aesthetic sensibilities during his visit in 1858.
Mozier died on October 3, 1870 in Faido, Switzerland while traveling back to Italy. His work today is represented in the collections of dozens of museums in the United States, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Chrysler Art Museum, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Redwood Library and Athenæum, the Arnot Art Museum, Yale University Art Gallery, the New York Historical Society, the Peabody Institute and many others.
Artist Listings & Bibliography:
- The New York Historical Society's Dictionary of Artists in America, 1564-1860, Groce & Wallace, 1979, p. 458-459
- E. Benezit Dictionary of Artists, Vol. IX, Gründ, 2006, p. 1427
- The Annual Exhibition Record of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 1807-1870, Falk, 1988, p. 147
Measurements: 27 3/8" H x 17 1/2" W x 9" D
Condition Report:
The bust almost certainly was outdoors for a period of time, the result being an aged and overall matte surface; this has been professionally cleaned and restored with great care, staining diminished as completely as can uninvasively and safely be accomplished; extensive chipping and losses around the socle, particularly the lowest edges of the base. Scuffing, stains and chipping to the surface throughout. Subtle discolorations throughout including her left jaw line. A powerful presentation.