Bust of Sylvette
| Bust of Sylvette | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Pablo Picasso, Carl Nesjar |
| Year | 1968 |
| Medium | Concrete |
| Dimensions | 36 x 20 x 12.5 (ft) |
| Location | New York, New York |
Designed by Pablo Picasso and built by his collaborator Carl Nesjar, Bust of Sylvette is a large sculpture located in University Village, New York. Constructed in 1968, the sculpture was declared a New York City landmark in 2008.[1]
Like Sylvette in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Bust of Sylvette is a sculpture inspired by Lydia Corbett, who was his muse for over 60 portraits in 1954.
Background and construction
[edit]Picasso met Corbett near his studio in Vallauris, France in 1954, when she was 19 years old. Intrigued by her unique look, she became his muse for three months that same year and it's said that the ensuing Sylvette series was the inspiration "that launched a thousand French ponytails."[2]
Corbett's inspiration was not limited to France, however, as seen in subsequent sculptures. Like Rotterdam's Sylvette, New York's Bust of Sylvette was inspired by Picasso's original portraits and constructed using the betograve technique that Nesjar pioneered—which involves pouring concrete onto a design composed of gravel and then sand-blasting the surface to reveal the dark gravel's lines beneath. Unlike Rotterdam's Sylvette, Bust of Sylvette is constructed in a pinwheel shape, matching the surrounding buildings[3] and, at 60 tons and 36-feet tall, it's even larger than its sister statue.
Significance and legacy
[edit]Renowned architect I.M. Pei designed University Village (known locally as "Silver Towers") and commissioned Bust of Sylvette to stand in the central courtyard. Both the sculpture and its surrounding buildings were designated New York City landmarks in 2008.[4]
Bust of Sylvette is one of two concrete sculptures designed in collaboration between Nesjar and Picasso worldwide and is the sole outdoor Picasso piece in New York City.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ "Bust of Sylvette". NYU. NYU. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
- ^ "Sylvette, 1954 by Picasso". PabloPicasso.org. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
- ^ "October 17, 1967 – "Sylvette" gets the go-ahead". VillagePreservation.org. Village Preservation. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
- ^ "University Village Landmark" (PDF). CityOfNewYork. Landmarks Preservation Commission. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
- ^ "Bust of Sylvette". cultureNOW. cultureNOW. Retrieved 26 November 2024.