(New York, 1887-1966)

Despair, 1903, signed on base ?1903 Malvina Hoffman?, patinated bronze 11 x 3-3/4 x 4-1/4 in.

Note: Hoffmans? story began in New York, a true knickerbocker who learned under the tutelage of the Arts Students League of New York, the Woman?s School for Applied Design, Gutzon Borglum, John White Alexander, the studio artists on McDougall Alley who mentored the young sculptor, and with her friend, Ivan Mestrovic. Her most important influence though was August Rodin, from 1910 until his death in 1917. Rodin took on Hoffman as a young sculptor when he was in his 70?s. Although at first Rodin did chase her around the room according to Hoffman pall- bearer and friend, Raymond Everett Kinstler, she stopped Rodin in his tracks and told him she was a serious student. From then on, Rodin called Hoffman his ?sensitive student,? and took her on as his prot‚g‚. He taught her all he could, seeing her as his legacy. She helped Rodin catalog the work in his Paris studio for six weeks until WW1 broke out, and then she managed the logistics of hiding all of his work to protect it during the war. After the war and Rodin?s death, Malvina Hoffman was asked to install the first Mus‚e Rodin in Paris. Ninety-nine letters between the two are archived at the Mus‚e Rodin in Paris, and she is mentioned in all of his biographies.

Despair was modeled in clay, at age 16, in response to the suicide of a dear friend. It's artistic and emotional success set the young Malvina on her course as a sculptor.

Provenance: Estate of the Artist

verdigris patina, small abrasion to back