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Head of John the Baptist
Details
Mark Matveevich Antokol'skii (1842-1902)
Head of John the Baptist
Inscribed 'M. Antocolsky'
bronze
8½ x 28 in. (21.6 x 71.1 cm.)
Head of John the Baptist
Inscribed 'M. Antocolsky'
bronze
8½ x 28 in. (21.6 x 71.1 cm.)
Literature
F. I. Bulgakov, Nashi Khudozhniki, St. Petersburg, 1889, page 17.
V. Stasov, Izbrannue proizvedeniia v trekh tomakh, 1952, vol. 2, page 497.
Gosudarstvennui Russkii Muzei, Mark Antokol'skii, Vystavka proizvedenii k 150-letiyu so dnia rozhdeniia, St. Petersburg, 1994, page 48.
V. Stasov, Izbrannue proizvedeniia v trekh tomakh, 1952, vol. 2, page 497.
Gosudarstvennui Russkii Muzei, Mark Antokol'skii, Vystavka proizvedenii k 150-letiyu so dnia rozhdeniia, St. Petersburg, 1994, page 48.
Further details
Mark Antokol'skii was regarded as the most important Russian sculptor of the second half of the 19th century, whose works represented the highest achievements in Russian realism. In his earlier works Antokol'skii gravitated to subjects from Russian history and created unforgettable portrayals of Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great, Yaroslav the Wise, Nestor the Chronicler, and Ermak, explorer and conqueror of Siberia. After moving to Rome in 1871, Antokol'skii began exploring a wider range of subjects by creating works with truly universal appeal and profound moral and ethical meaning. He began a new series depicting historical characters who, in his opinion, personified the selflessness, humanity and devotion to the highest ideals of mankind. Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, and Socrates were chosen by Antokol'skii for the series which he defined as the portraits of "martyrs for the idea." Their tragic fate, the choices they faced, and the impossibility of resolving them even by the price of their own lives fascinated the sculptor. V. Stasov, Antokol'skii's greatest supporter and influential Russian art critic noted that these works expressed a single idea that "a mob blinded by its own ignorance, often persecutes and torments the brightest and the most noble benefactors and messengers. Christ - convicted and executed, John the Baptist - murdered, Socrates - killed; most of the topics depicted do not simply illustrated the simple act of death, but express the idea of mourning and tragic loss most often personified by the living figure of Christ." Each figure was seen by the sculptor as an ideal of a human being sacrificing his own life for humanity.
Head of John the Baptist was initially executed in marble (currently in the State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg) in June of 1877, and cast in bronze in December of 1878. It immediately caused a sensation. Contemporaries noted that Antokol'skii was able to create "powerful and noble image of the great prophet."
John the Baptist is depicted shortly after his death, when life still lingers in his breathless body. The decapitated head striking in its naturalism is placed next to the weapon of execution on a large platter. Facial features are not yet disfigured by death; on the contrary they convey the sense of calm and noble conviction.
A marble version of this work was exhibited at the Paris Exposition of 1878, where the sculptor was awarded the highest prize and the Order of Légion d'honneur, and was elected the member of the Paris Academy of Art and the Art Academy of the city of Urbino, Italy. The bronze cast was exhibited in 1880 at the exhibition at the academy of Art in St. Petersburg.
Most of Antokol'skii's works were executed in both marble and bronze. Bronze sculptures were cast in the Galli workshop in Florence, and Gruet, Thiebaut, and Barbedienne studios in Paris.
The largest collection of works by Mark Antokol'skii is currently in the State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia including the marble version of the current work. Another bronze cast is in the Museum of Russian Art in Kiev, Ukraine.
Head of John the Baptist was initially executed in marble (currently in the State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg) in June of 1877, and cast in bronze in December of 1878. It immediately caused a sensation. Contemporaries noted that Antokol'skii was able to create "powerful and noble image of the great prophet."
John the Baptist is depicted shortly after his death, when life still lingers in his breathless body. The decapitated head striking in its naturalism is placed next to the weapon of execution on a large platter. Facial features are not yet disfigured by death; on the contrary they convey the sense of calm and noble conviction.
A marble version of this work was exhibited at the Paris Exposition of 1878, where the sculptor was awarded the highest prize and the Order of Légion d'honneur, and was elected the member of the Paris Academy of Art and the Art Academy of the city of Urbino, Italy. The bronze cast was exhibited in 1880 at the exhibition at the academy of Art in St. Petersburg.
Most of Antokol'skii's works were executed in both marble and bronze. Bronze sculptures were cast in the Galli workshop in Florence, and Gruet, Thiebaut, and Barbedienne studios in Paris.
The largest collection of works by Mark Antokol'skii is currently in the State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia including the marble version of the current work. Another bronze cast is in the Museum of Russian Art in Kiev, Ukraine.