Eve Fairfax

myminifactory

From 1900 on, Rodin frequently received commissions for portrait busts of men and women who held influential positions in both politics and art. The subject of this portrait was commissioned by Ernest Beckett, later known as Lord Grimthorpe, after being introduced to Rodin by the British sculptor John Tweed, who became one of Rodin's earliest admirers in Britain. Eve Fairfax (1871-1978) had a brief engagement with Beckett and sat for Rodin several times during the period 1901-9. Their meetings and correspondence allowed Rodin to gain a deeper understanding of his subject. He admired her calm and reserved nature, describing her as 'A Diana and a satyr in one.' He also made a comment about her physical appearance, saying, 'How flat chested they are. Oh, those planes and the bony structure of these English women.' This bronze statue appears to have been cast from a clay or plaster model. The marble version presented to Eve Fairfax by Rodin is now on display at the Johannesburg Art Gallery in South Africa. The object can be found in The Dorothy and Michael Hintze Galleries, case WN, Sculpture, Room 21. This item is part of "Scan The World," a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory that aims to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the world for public access. Scan The World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items nearby and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.