'Torso in Metal from 'The Rock Drill'' (1913-1916) by American-British sculptor Sir Jacob Epstein
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Conversation
This was Epstein's original 'Rock Drill' Vorticist composition, comprising a plaster figure on top of an actual rock drill
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“I made and mounted a machine-like robot, visored, menacing, and carrying within itself its progeny, protectively ensconced. Here is the armed, sinister figure of today and tomorrow. No humanity, only the terrible Frankenstein’s monster we have made ourselves into…” (J. Epstein)
One the reasons why the militarized hyper-masculinity of the first version (1913) gives way to a more iconic, suffering figure in the metallic torso is the death of his friend Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, killed at a charge at Neuville St. Vaast, on June 5th, 1915
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Henri Gaudier-Brzeska (1891–1915) was one of the most talented artists of his generation and although he had only four years to create his sculptural work had enormous impact on 20th century modernist art
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Here's a short but well-informed article by London Group archivist David Redfern on Epstein's Torso, Gaudier-Brzeska and the First World War
thelondongroup.com/jacob-epsteins
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In his 'Autobiography', Epstein remembered that 'Gaudier Brzeska was very enthusiastic about it [Rock Drill] when he visited my studio in 1913 with Ezra Pound to view it. Pound started expatiating on the work. Gaudier turned on him and snapped, “shut up, you understand nothing!"'
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Ah, how I wish I had been there, while Gaudier made Ezra Pound shut up ...
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The tomb of Oscar Wilde—located in Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris—was realised by Jacob Epstein in 1914
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