Sir Jacob Epstein

Happy Birthday Sir Jacob Epstein!! Born in 1880, Epstein was a sculptor who was born in New York, relocated to Paris as a young man and lived the majority of his life in England. He originally desired to become a painter, but poor eyesight forced him out of that field and into sculpture. He studied at Ecole Beaux des Art in Paris, finally establishing his studio in London in 1905. He became known for his portrait sculptures, but it was amidst scandal, since his work was quite raw (some have even been destroyed). He was a founder of the London Group, artists and writers who sought to advance the theories of Modern Art. His mature work was bronze castings from modeled clay with slick planes contrasted with rough, mottled sections, reminding me of Rodin's work. Sir Winston Churchill is depicted below.