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La Première Pose

1873-1876
Howard Roberts (American, 1843–1900)
This sculpture’s sensual portrayal of a young model posing nude for the first time offended many visitors at Philadelphia’s 1876 Centennial Exhibition. Its defenders, however, praised the marble’s subtle realism, declaring it equal to the best European work of the time. Like many American artists, Roberts studied in Paris, where nude subjects were more common.

Object Details

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