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Learn MoreYoung Emperor Augustus by Augustus Saint-Gaudens
- This marble bust by revered American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens captures Augustus in his youth
- Caesar Augustus left a formidable legacy as a politician, a peacemaker and a conquerer
- Saint-Gaudens' neoclassical works are among his most beloved sculptures
- The bust was on loan to the Met for nearly four decades
- Get complete item description here
$54,500
Item No.
31-7201
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Description
Augustus Saint-Gaudens
1848-1907 | American
Young Emperor Augustus
Marble
This extraordinary marble bust by revered American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens is crafted in the classical style of the Greco-Roman world, with the perfect proportions that make it engaging from every angle. The style lends itself well to the subject — Caesar Augustus, one of the most revered emperors of ancient Rome. Here, he is brilliantly captured as a young man with his distinctive. . .
1848-1907 | American
Young Emperor Augustus
Marble
This extraordinary marble bust by revered American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens is crafted in the classical style of the Greco-Roman world, with the perfect proportions that make it engaging from every angle. The style lends itself well to the subject — Caesar Augustus, one of the most revered emperors of ancient Rome. Here, he is brilliantly captured as a young man with his distinctive. . .
Read More
Augustus Saint-Gaudens
1848-1907 | American
Young Emperor Augustus
Marble
This extraordinary marble bust by revered American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens is crafted in the classical style of the Greco-Roman world, with the perfect proportions that make it engaging from every angle. The style lends itself well to the subject — Caesar Augustus, one of the most revered emperors of ancient Rome. Here, he is brilliantly captured as a young man with his distinctive brow and calm countenance in a celebration of male beauty, wisdom and bravery.
Celebrated as the founder of the Roman Empire, Caesar Augustus left a formidable legacy as a politician, a peacemaker and conquerer. Rising to power following the infamous assassination of Julius Caesar on the Ides of March, Augustus reigned for over a decade. Designed after the head of an ancient statue known as Augustus of Primaporta in the Vatican Museum, Saint-Gaudens’ bust offers a compelling portrait of this historic icon, capturing the young man who would later be recognized among the world's great thinkers and leaders.
Born in Dublin to an Irish mother and French father, Augustus Saint-Gaudens moved to New York City with his family as an infant. He trained under Louis Avet, a cameo-cutter, before enrolling in the École des Beaux-Arts at the young age of 19. Saint-Gaudens’ artistic talents flourished when he moved to Rome in 1870 to study art and architecture, and his neoclassical works inspired by the masterpieces of Greco-Roman antiquity are among his most beloved sculptures. He achieved great critical success in his lifetime, and his artworks reside in prestigious collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the National Gallery in London, the Musée d'Orsay in Paris and the Tate in London.
An important work in Saint-Gaudens' oeuvre, Young Emperor Augustus is pictured on page 63 of John H. Dryfhout’s catalogue raisonne, The Work of Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1982), where the author points out that this is only one of two versions known. This bust was also on loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for nearly four decades, underscoring its significance.
Circa 1872-1873
22“ high x 11“ wide x 8 1/2“ deep
Literature:
John H. Dryfhout, The Work of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Hanover, New Hampshire, 1982, no. 33, p. 63, illustrated
Exhibitions:
New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, 1985-86
New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1986-2023 (on loan)
Provenance:
Private Collection, Windsor, Vermont
Tatischeff Gallery, New York
Private Collection of the Wolf Family
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
Private Collection, United States
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
1848-1907 | American
Young Emperor Augustus
Marble
This extraordinary marble bust by revered American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens is crafted in the classical style of the Greco-Roman world, with the perfect proportions that make it engaging from every angle. The style lends itself well to the subject — Caesar Augustus, one of the most revered emperors of ancient Rome. Here, he is brilliantly captured as a young man with his distinctive brow and calm countenance in a celebration of male beauty, wisdom and bravery.
Celebrated as the founder of the Roman Empire, Caesar Augustus left a formidable legacy as a politician, a peacemaker and conquerer. Rising to power following the infamous assassination of Julius Caesar on the Ides of March, Augustus reigned for over a decade. Designed after the head of an ancient statue known as Augustus of Primaporta in the Vatican Museum, Saint-Gaudens’ bust offers a compelling portrait of this historic icon, capturing the young man who would later be recognized among the world's great thinkers and leaders.
Born in Dublin to an Irish mother and French father, Augustus Saint-Gaudens moved to New York City with his family as an infant. He trained under Louis Avet, a cameo-cutter, before enrolling in the École des Beaux-Arts at the young age of 19. Saint-Gaudens’ artistic talents flourished when he moved to Rome in 1870 to study art and architecture, and his neoclassical works inspired by the masterpieces of Greco-Roman antiquity are among his most beloved sculptures. He achieved great critical success in his lifetime, and his artworks reside in prestigious collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the National Gallery in London, the Musée d'Orsay in Paris and the Tate in London.
An important work in Saint-Gaudens' oeuvre, Young Emperor Augustus is pictured on page 63 of John H. Dryfhout’s catalogue raisonne, The Work of Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1982), where the author points out that this is only one of two versions known. This bust was also on loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for nearly four decades, underscoring its significance.
Circa 1872-1873
22“ high x 11“ wide x 8 1/2“ deep
Literature:
John H. Dryfhout, The Work of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Hanover, New Hampshire, 1982, no. 33, p. 63, illustrated
Exhibitions:
New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, 1985-86
New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1986-2023 (on loan)
Provenance:
Private Collection, Windsor, Vermont
Tatischeff Gallery, New York
Private Collection of the Wolf Family
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
Private Collection, United States
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
Read Less
Specifications
| Maker: | Saint-Gaudens, Augustus |
| Period: | 1816-1918 |
| Origin: | America |
| Type: | Sculpture |
| Style: | Neoclassicism |
| Depth: | 8.5 in. (21.59 cm) |
| Width: | 11.0 in. (27.94 cm) |
| Height: | 22.0 in. (55.88 cm) |
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Buy with Confidence
At M.S. Rau, we are committed to building a long-term, rewarding relationship with each and every client. That’s why your purchase is backed by our 125% guarantee.
Learn More
