Aletheia Couts
Sculpture and Identity: A Reflective Tour of Busts
Richmond Barthé, Head of a Boy, c. 1930, painted plaster, Corcoran Collection (The Evans-Tibbs Collection, Gift of Thurlow Evans Tibbs, Jr.), 2014.136.295
A sculptural bust is a reflection of an individual during a specific period of time, immortalized in an idealized form by an artist. My tour focuses on three sculptured busts made in times of artistic and historical transition. Each work depicts an individual in a way that is unique to the lived experience of the artist at the time that it was completed. This also allows us, as contemporary viewers, a glimpse into the life of the subject based on their portrayal and the circumstances that enabled them to be featured in such a work of art.
Richmond Barthé’s Head of a Boy (c. 1930) allows viewers to reflect on the intricate relationships between time, expression, and identity. This piece directly inspired the theme of my tour, which ranged from the Italian Renaissance to the 20th century, because it was created by Barthé to encourage Black people to reflect on their beauty during the Harlem Renaissance. It has been very rewarding to uncover such revelations and to have the opportunity to share my findings with others.
Media Management Communications major and Economics minor, Howard University
Howard University Undergraduate Intern, 2023–2025