CHARLES HUMPHRISS
American, 1867-1934

Clown & Dogs (1912) - a pair of bookends

Lost-wax patinated bronze | signed in each cast "C.H. Humphriss", one signed on base "ROMAN BRONZE WORKS NY"

Item # 307PPK13A 

An exquisitely cast pair of Clowns, each depicted with a pair of dogs at their feet also dressed up for the show. These were conceived by Charles Humphriss in 1912 and were cast in pairs as bookends by Roman Bronze Works in New York for the sculptor. He had a long relationship with Roman Bronze Works and they were the principal foundry for his models. This pair retain their original rich brown surface patina, nuanced to emphasize the recesses and raised elements with hues of verdigris, hints of ruby red and darker charcoal tones in the texture. They are an incredibly playful pair and a complete departure from his typical ouevre, a rather scarce model.

CHARLES HUMPHRISS
A specialist in depicting Native Americans in sculpture, Charles Humphriss excelled at capturing the dignity of his subjects, embuing them with a powerful visage to exude a sense of peace and internal harmony. He was attracted to the subject of worship and gave this a great deal of attention in his sculpture. While his emphasis was always figural, his ability to seamlessly incorporate brilliant depictions of animals showed a high degree of topical flexibility. His equestrian representations in particular are always compelling. And while the work he completed on the American West was certainly his most popular subject matter, he further modeled a few other subjects including King Arthur, President Abraham Lincoln, a pair of bookends with Clowns and Dogs, models of soldiers and a male nude titled Lotus-Eater.

Born in England in 1867, Humphriss eventually ended up settling in New York where he would spend most of his time despite having almost all of his subject matter rooted in the West. He became a member of the National Sculpture Society in 1908 and was also active with the Society of Independent Artists and the New York Academy of Design. He exhibited at the National Academy of Design in 1907, 1908, 1909 and 1910, at the the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 1907, 1911 and 1913 and the Art Institute of Chicago in 1912 and 1916. He also won several awards at the Panama-Pacific Exposition and exhibited at the New York Academy of Design.

Artist Listings & Bibliography:

• A Century of American Sculpture: The Roman Bronze Works Foundry, Rosenfeld, Schiffer, 2002, p. 96-97
• Mantle Fielding's Dictionary of American Painters, Sculptors and Engravers, Opitz, 1983, p. 460
• Dictionary of American Sculptors: "18th Century to the Present", Opitz, 1984, p. 192
• E. Benezit Dictionary of Artists, vol. VII, Gründ, 2006, p. 450
• The Annual Exhibition Record of the Pennylvania Academy of the Fine Arts 1876-1913
• The Annual Exhibition Record of the National Academy of Design 1901-1950
• The Annual Exhibition Record of the Art Institute of Chicago 1888-1950

Measurements: 9 5/8" H x 3 1/2" D x 4 1/2" W (5 1/2" W at the widest point)

Condition Report:
Exquisite original condition. Other than the most minor handling wear the pair remain in pristine condition.