Bust of the Fisherboy
model c. 1876, cast probably 1883/1886
Medium
bronze
Dimensions
height with base: 45 cm (17 11/16 in.)
Classification
Sculpture
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Asbjorn R. Lunde in honor of Nicholas Penny
Accession Number
2007.139.1
Art Historical Context
Vincenzo Gemito’s Bust of the Fisherboy captures a moment of quiet realism from late-19th-century Italy. Modeled around 1876 and cast in bronze some years later, the sculpture depicts a young boy whose tousled hair and direct gaze suggest the lively streets of Naples, where Gemito often found his subjects. The work reflects the period’s growing interest in portraying ordinary people with dignity rather than classical idealization. Bronze was an ideal medium for Gemito, offering both the strength to hold fine details and the warm patina that brings skin and hair to life. At just 45 centimeters...