Exhibitions

The centuries-old tradition of casting bronze into sculptural form was established in the United States by 1850 and reached its apogee in the early decades of the 20th century. Sculptors such as Frederick MacMonnies, Frederic Remington, and Augustus Saint-Gaudens were innovators in this medium; by mastering a vital French-based naturalism and choosing modern subjects, they popularized the American bronze as a fine collectible object. A selection of 50 statuettes and portrait busts from the Metropolitan’s unparalleled collection traces the historical development of the small American bronze from technical, aesthetic, and thematic standpoints.