Expressive Terracotta Bust of Beethoven, By Marcel Bouraine, 1946 - 12½"

This expressive mid-20th-century terracotta bust of Ludwig van Beethoven, by French sculptor Marcel Bouraine (1886–1948), captures the composer's famously intense and brooding expression. His head is inclined to one side, with deeply furrowed brows, lowered eyes and thick, unruly hair framing his face. The lively modeling of the terracotta, with its irregular surfaces and visible traces of the sculptor's hand, gives the portrait a wonderful sense of movement and emotion. The overall effect is distinctly Romantic, recalling the familiar image of Beethoven as a passionate, introspective genius. The terracotta has a warm, natural color and shows a small chip to the base.

Marcel Bouraine was a French sculptor particularly associated with the Art Deco movement, exhibiting at the Salon d'Automne and the Salon des Tuileries during the 1920s. Here, the expressive modeling feels closer to the tradition of Romantic portraiture, perfectly suited to the subject.  An incised inscription inside the base appears to date the sculpture to April 1946, placing it toward the end of Bouraine's career.

With its unconventional asymmetrical composition and powerful expression, this bust would look particularly beautiful on a library shelf among antique books, on a desk or beside a collection of musical scores, bringing a sense of artistic drama to the arrangement.