White Bear at The Middelheim Museum, Antwerp

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Human: Title Polar Bear Artist Francois Pompon (1855-1933) Date Between 1923 and 1933 Medium Stone Dimensions H. 163; W. 251; D. 90 cm For many years, Paris's most sought-after assistants looked to Francois Pompon for expertise in hewing blocks of marble, serving artists like Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudel. However, after 1905, Pompon rejected the human figure in response to Rodin's expressionism and turned his attention to animals at the Jardin des Plantes. Polar Bear stands as a masterpiece in this new direction; its exhibition at the Salon d'Automne in 1922 brought the artist long-overdue recognition when he was sixty-seven years old. Pompon stripped away distracting details, focusing on "the very essence of the animal". This simplicity yields a presence that draws strength from its monumental scale. Unlike anecdotal works, Polar Bear reveals an effort to transcend time and permanence; beneath its serene exterior lies an aspiration towards universal form. Pompon's process involved capturing detailed forms before stripping away non-essential elements: "I keep many details for later use," he said. "First, I create the animal with all its trappings, then gradually eliminate them..." Pompon's sculptures are marked by an intuitive grasp of rounded forms, a rejection of geometric shapes, and a preference for traditional materials like stone. He sought smooth surfaces with no obstructions to light flow: "I love sculpture without holes or shadows," he said. Pompon mastered the art of profiles and movement from Rodin, incorporating multiple gestures to concentrate power. His work belongs to a classical tradition that spans Aristide Maillol to Constantin Brancusi. Between 1900 and 1914, Pompon found an alternative to Cubist deconstruction. This object is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative by MyMiniFactory to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks for the public to access for free. Scan The World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can help. Scanned: Photogrammetry (Processed using Agisoft PhotoScan)