Bronze on wooden base
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/dora-gordine-1189" aria-label="More by Dora Gordine" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Dora Gordine</a>
Malay Head
Bequeathed by Mrs Rhoda Symons 1937
adults
Asian
body
ethnicity
head / face
Malaysian
nationality
people
royalty and social rank
society
sultan / sultana
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<p>This head also comes from Gordine’s series of sculptures that represent the physiognomic characteristics of different races. When Gordine held an exhibition of her work in London in 1938, she was praised by poet and critic Arthur Symons: ‘Her profound sense of pure form in sculpture, heedless alike of realism and of exaggerated abstraction, is united with the subtlest delicacy of modelling, and these qualities endow her bronzes with abnormal power.’ This work was bequeathed to Tate by Symons’ wife, Rhoda.</p><p><i>Dora Gordine was born in St. Petersburg in 1906 and died in London in 1991.</i></p><p><em>Gallery label, August 2004</em></p>
sculpture bronze wooden
3 May 2004 – 30 August 2004
2004-08-30
3 May 2004
2004-05-03
Tate Modern (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/
2004-05-03
Turbine Hall (heads)
Collection based display
10 January 2006 – 19 March 2006
2006-03-19
10 January 2006 – 19 March 2006
2006-03-19
2006-01-10
Ben Uri Gallery (London, UK)
http://www.benuri.org.uk/
27 March 2006 – 20 May 2006
2006-05-20
2006-03-27
Hatton Gallery (Newcastle upon Tyne, UK)
2006-01-10
Embracing the Exotic: Jacob Epstein and Dora Gordine
Loan-out
25 November 2015 – 10 April 2016
2016-04-10
25 November 2015 – 10 April 2016
2016-04-10
2015-11-25
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2015-11-25
Artist and Empire
Exhibition
Malay Head
object: 350 × 222 × 336 mm, 10.5 kg
Bequeathed by Mrs Rhoda Symons 1937
<p>This head also comes from Gordine’s series of <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/s/sculpture" title="Glossary definition for 'Sculpture'"><span>sculptures</span></a> that represent the physiognomic characteristics of different races. When Gordine held an exhibition of her work in London in 1938, she was praised by poet and critic Arthur Symons: ‘Her profound sense of pure <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/f/form" title="Glossary definition for 'Form'"><span>form</span></a> in sculpture, heedless alike of <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/r/realism" title="Glossary definition for 'Realism'"><span>realism</span></a> and of exaggerated <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/a/abstract-art" title="Glossary definition for 'Abstract art'"><span>abstraction</span></a>, is united with the subtlest delicacy of modelling, and these qualities endow her <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/m/metal" title="Glossary definition for 'Metal'"><span>bronzes</span></a> with abnormal power.’ This work was bequeathed to Tate by Symons’ wife, Rhoda.
<br/></p>
<p><i>Dora Gordine was born in St. Petersburg in 1906 and died in London in 1991.</i></p>
<p></p>

Display caption
2004-08-18T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N04860</b> A MALAY SULTANA 1933
<br/> 
<br/>Inscr. ‘Dora Gordine  1/8’ on back of head.
<br/>Bronze, 10 3/4×8 3/4×13 3/4 (27×22×35), on black marble base, 3×7 1/2×6 1/4 (7×19×16).
<br/>Bequeathed by Mrs Rhoda Symons 1937.
<br/><i>Exh:</i>
Leicester Galleries, July 1933 (10).
<br/><i>Lit:</i> E. H. Ramsden, <i>Sculpture: Theme and Variations</i>, 1953, p.23, repr. pl.38<i>a</i>.</p>
<p>Modelled in the Malay Peninsula in 1933 and <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/c/cast" title="Glossary definition for 'Cast'"><span>cast</span></a> in Paris. Other casts belong to the City Hall, Singapore, Richard Prichard, London, and the artist.</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, I
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-10-06T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
adults Asian body ethnicity head / face Malaysian nationality people royalty and social rank society sultan / sultana woman work and occupations