Portrait of a Woman

myminifactory

Russian sculptor Paolo Troubetzkoy flourished in Italy amidst a noble and artistic backdrop during the Scapigliatura era, a time of avant-garde innovation in Milan. After 1914, he resided successively in Moscow and Paris, forging close bonds with notable figures like Leo Tolstoj, Auguste Rodin, and Gabriele D'Annunzio. Troubetzkoy's work was heavily influenced by Rodin's sketchy technique, which is evident in his portrait of an unknown woman. Characteristic of his early style, the rough texture of his sculptures often gave way to a harsher bronze version, supplanting the traditional clay modeling technique. By contrast, Troubetzkoy juxtaposed the smooth face of the woman with her seemingly haphazardly constructed body.