Head of a Man (Beethoven Life Mask)
Item
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Title
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Head of a Man (Beethoven Life Mask)
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Date
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original 1812
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Medium
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22 x 17.5 x 10 cm
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Dimensions
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Plaster
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Accession Number
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2006.365
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Classification
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Sculpture
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Label
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In 1812, sculptor Franz Klein (1779-1840) created a life mask of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), German composer and pianist, which now resides in the Historical Museum of Vienna. After the Beethoven House in Bonn requested a copy in 1890, many subsequent casts followed. As a lifelong music lover, Fuller collected many items related to her interests and may have intended to create a tribute to the musician.
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Description
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Anterior half of a man's head with a metal loop at the top rear of the head to facilitate hanging on a wall. The head, though physically large, seems to have been modeled by a man of large stature. The cheeks are broad and lips unsmiling. There are vertical seam lines just lateral to the cheek bones and a somewhat horizontal seam line under the chin. The head has no ears, though the dimensions do afford them space.
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Provenance
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Gift of the Meta V. W. Fuller Trust
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Location
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Fuller Gallery 204 Studio (on table)
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Is Part Of
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Danforth Art Museum at Framingham State University
