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Marshal Ferdinand Foch

Jo Davidson American
1918
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 774
In his autobiography, Davidson discussed his idea of a “plastic history” of World War I through busts of important figures, both civil and military, among the Allies. He recalled modeling this portrait of the French military leader Ferdinand Foch (1851–1929) in November 1918. Earlier that year, in March, Foch had been appointed to the supreme command of all Allied armies, and in August he became marshal of France. For the sitting, Davidson traveled to Senlis, Foch’s headquarters, and spent only a few hours with him. The resulting bust, with its serious demeanor and the deep lines of the face, suggest the great responsibilities of Foch’s command.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Marshal Ferdinand Foch
  • Artist: Jo Davidson (American, New York 1883–1952 Tours, France)
  • Date: 1918
  • Medium: Bronze
  • Dimensions: 9 1/2 × 8 1/4 × 6 in. (24.1 × 21 × 15.2 cm)
  • Classification: Sculpture
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Mary Stillman Harkness, 1950
  • Object Number: 50.145.41
  • Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art

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H. G. Wells, Jo Davidson American, Terracotta
H. G. Wells
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Self -Portrait, Jo Davidson American, Bronze
Self -Portrait
Jo Davidson
1946; cast 1982
André Derain, Jo Davidson American, Bronze
André Derain
Jo Davidson
1935

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