Nadia Boulanger - Statue of the Patron Saint of Music Teachers

When I began doing sculptures, it was to give proper credit to 20th century composers who never seem to have had a sculptor to "immortalize them for the piano-top (or, the stereo-top in my day)" as all the earlier fellows had. Well, I also knew that Nadia TAUGHT so many of the major composers that I loved---so she was on my list from the very beginnings, ....and fortunately I waited until my sculpting craft had improved to do her physiognomy....for she has sat, unfinished for over a year since I began her, trying to capture the feel of this powerful lady, as well as make her look like the epitomy of a piano teacher at the same time. I'm happy at how she turned out.... and hope that many a music school will consider giving her a place of honor on an old mantel somewhere on their premises.

Note two things. The nameplate has been hand cut around the right upper edge so that the tightening of the bust onto the base won't break it. Second, her glasses are modernistically fictional....they are not meant to be completed, having no earpieces nor full circles around the eyes. This was to allow her face a certain softness..... if you look at the glasses I put on Ruth Bader Ginsburg for example, they are sculpted and somewhat dominate ---but that's OK for her. The wire glasses I put on Gandhi or Chomsky just wasn't right for Nadia... to look at her photo, the glasses are part of her face but you don't see them somehow, just as looking OUT through glasses you don't see them.

ANYWAY,....if you buy this bust PLEASE SPECIFY WHICH VERSION YOU WANT- antique white or bronze patina