Faun Surprised, 1914
Bronze
9 1/4 x 7 5/8 x 4 1/4 in
Biography
Although born in New York City on June 15th, 1885, Malvina Hoffman was an artist of the world. Throughout her career she had the great privilege of studying with renowned artists from all over the world as well as travelling and sculpting extensively all through numerous cities and countries. Due to the wide range of her influences, Malvina Hoffman, therefore, developed a remarkable and unique technique and style, both of which have been praised and celebrated.
Hoffman began her artistic training studying painting under John White Alexander; however, sculpture interested her more and thus began her extensive training with the likes of Herbert Adams, George Grey Bard, the great Gutzon Borglum, a Yugoslavian sculptor, with whom she also studied architecture and most exceptionally Auguste Rodin. In 1910 Hoffman traveled to Paris in order to begin her training with Rodin. Under the tutelage of Rodin, Hoffman’s style was certainly influenced by the great sculptor, however, it is also at this that she truly began to flourish as an independent artist. In Brookgreen Gardens Sculpture Beatrice Gilman Proske expounds on Hoffman’s work with Rodin when she expresses, “It speaks well for the strength of her own inspiration that while in such close contact with Rodin she should have been so little carried away by his individual style. From him she learned to give vitality and emotions to her creations, but the clarity of her mind kept them firmly tied to actuality.”
Heeding Rodin’s advice Hoffman enrolled at the College of Physicians and Surgeons for one year in order to study dissection. This effort was one of many she would make throughout her career in order to understand the interworkings and movement of the human body in addition to the sculpting process. At one time, for instance, she traveled to Italy in order to become thoroughly well versed in the technical process of sculpture. There she studied bronze casting, chasing and finishing. Such thoughtful determination and dedication would be what ultimately set her work apart from that of her peers.
From 1914 until 1916 Hoffman became acquainted with Pavlova and her partners, whom were members of the Russin Ballet. This period in Hoffman’s career was an especially prolific one, a time when many of her sculptures were dance related, specifically inspired by Anna Pavlova and her troupe, whom she saw in New York, Paris and London. Her work at this time came to life as she captured, “…in bronze their rhythmic movement and vivid action.”
Although Hoffman’s artistic career was moving at full force; her focus was not only on her art. She was also a great humanitarian. Hoffman began her work with the Red Cross when she returned to New York at the beginning of World War I. It was this mindset and reputation that led Hoffman to complete commissions all over the world. On a mission for the Red Cross and The American Relief fund, in 1919 Hoffman found herself in Yugoslavia where she sculpted a portrait of Colonel Milan Pirbicevic titled Modern Crusdaer. In 1929 she was commissioned to complete two stone figures over the entrance to the Bush House in London. Later she traveled to Africa, where she carved in wood and marble, heads of native people she encountered. It was with the help of these pieces that she was able to carry out her largest commission for the Field Museum of Natural History. This commission is a series that represents the races of man and includes one hundred and five heads and full-length figures. Hoffman later continued her travels in places such as Bali and Cambodia, whose dancers continued to interest her in addition to greatly influencing her art. In 1948 Hoffman was one of the sculptors selected to create the American War Memorial Building at Épinal in the Vosges mountains of France and finally she provided the sculpture for the façade of the Joslin clinic for Diabetes in Boston.
Malvina Hoffman sculptor and servant to the people lived an extraordinary life full of wonderful adventures and achievements. She was much admired and respected by her peers and consequently awarded many honors throughout her lifetime. Two of the most exceptional honors she received were her designation of “Woman of the year” by the American Association of University Women in 1957 and later the medal of honor by The National Sculpture Society in 1964, an award which is rarely given.
Malvina Hoffman died in her studio in New York City on July 10th, 1966.
