MASTERPIECES FROM THE BEN URI COLLECTION
HENRI GAUDIER-BRZESKA (1891-1915)
SCULPTURAL HEAD OF BRODZKY
c. 1913
Black chalk on paper
Signed (lower right) 'Gaudier Brzeska'
HHENRI GAUDIER-BRZESKA
enri Gaudier-Brzeska’s Sculptural Head of Brodzky (circa 1913–1914) stands as a testament to the early 20thcentury Vorticist movement and its fascination with abstraction, form, and dynamism. Though primarily recognized for his sculpture, Gaudier-Brzeska here translates his sculptural sensibilities into two-dimensional
expression, capturing the head of his friend and fellow artist Horace Brodzky The work exhibits a synthesis of influences most notably, the angularity of Cubism and the primitivist aesthetics drawn from non-Western art traditions These stylistic features align closely with Vorticism’s aim to convey energy and modernity through fractured, geometric forms GaudierBrzeska's treatment of Brodzky’s head is strikingly reductive, emphasizing planar structure over anatomical fidelity. The contours are chiseled with bold, decisive lines, flattening the visage into a series of interlocking shapes that convey mass and presence despite their economy This formal reduction reflects the artist’s sculptural training and his engagement with the aesthetic philosophies of contemporaries like Jacob Epstein and Ezra Pound Moreover, the choice of Brodzky a progressive artist and a supporter of modernist experimentation as subject underscores the close-knit, cross-disciplinary network of avantgarde creators active in pre-war London Sculptural Head of Brodzky thus exemplifies Gaudier-Brzeska’s innovative approach to portraiture and his commitment to modernist ideals
Sculptural Head of Brodzky” is a striking example of Henri Gaudier-Brzeska’s bold, modernist approach to portraiture Carved around 1913, the work represents Horace Brodzky, a fellow artist and friend, and reflects Gaudier-Brzeska’s interest in reducing form to its most essential, expressive elements. Rather than striving for
a naturalistic likeness, the artist emphasizes rhythm, geometry, and force qualities aligned with the emerging Vorticist movement in Britain. The head is abstracted with sharp angles, simplified planes, and a dynamic sense of volume. The carving displays a vigorous energy, with deep incisions and strong contours that suggest both the vitality of the sitter and the physical intensity of the sculpting process Influenced by so-called “primitive” art forms, particularly from Africa and Oceania, GaudierBrzeska merges these inspirations with a distinctly modern sensibility, rejecting ornament in favor of raw structure The portrait is less a depiction of Brodzky’s external features and more an evocation of his character conveying intellect, strength, and presence It stands as a powerful testament to Gaudier-Brzeska’s talent and vision, created just two years before his untimely death in World War I at the age of 23 This work remains one of his most important contributions to early modern sculpture
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
COLLECTION: https://benuri.org/collections/
BURU: https://www.buru.org.uk/
