From 1900 onwards Rodin frequently received commissions for portrait busts of men and women who were prominent in political and artistic circles. This portrait was commissioned by Ernest Beckett, later Lord Grimthorpe, who had been introduced to Rodin by the British sculptor John Tweed and who became one of Rodin's earliest admirers in Britain. Eve Fairfax (1871-1978) was briefly engaged to Beckett and she sat for Rodin several times during the period 1901-9.

Their meetings and correspondence brought Rodin to a closer, more personal knowledge of his sitter. He admired her cool Englishness and what lay beneath her calm exterior, describing her as 'A Diana and a satyr in one'. He also said, referring to her, 'How flat chested they are. Oh, those planes and the bony structure of these English women.'
This bronze appears to have been cast from a clay or plaster study. The marble version given to Eve Fairfax by Rodin is now in the Johannesburg Art Gallery, South Africa.

Gallery location:
Sculpture, Room 21, The Dorothy and Michael Hintze Galleries, case WN

This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for the public to access for free. Scan the World is an open source, community effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.

Courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London