Head of a Young Girl

This is a bronze sculpture with a nuanced brown patina by Henryk Kuna, representing a half-length portrait of a young girl. The bust rests on an integrated base whose rounded contours harmoniously extend the volumes of the sculpture.

The face is characterized by the clean, geometric features of Art Deco style, drawing on the iconography of the masters of the Italian Renaissance. The almond-shaped eyes are treated without visible pupils and are part of a deliberate simplification of anatomical details. The eyebrows are barely suggested, while the nose, straight and elongated, structures the central axis of the face. The finely drawn lips are slightly parted and contribute to the overall balance of the composition. The surfaces of the face present a soft, regular modeling that softens the transitions between the different volumes.

The hair, parted in the middle, is organized into carefully ordered parallel waves that frame the face. This stylized treatment of the hair creates a play of rhythmic lines contrasting with the smooth surfaces of the forehead and cheeks. The ears remain partially hidden under the hairstyle.
The garment covers the upper torso and forms a wide circular collar that follows the curve of the shoulders. In the center of the chest, a tied element introduces a slight relief and constitutes a visual anchor point in the composition. The shoulders are deliberately simplified and treated with broad, continuous volumes.

The nuanced brown patina highlights the modeling of the sculpture as well as the variations of light on the different surfaces. The prominent areas of the face, hair, and garment capture more light, while the hollows accentuate the reading of the volumes.

Head of a Young Girl
Circa 1925
Bronze sculpture with nuanced brown patina
Height: 38 cm
Width: 32 cm
Depth: 23 cm

Signed "HKUNA"
Foundry mark "Valsuani cire perdue"
Unique cast

Provenance:
Collection of Helena Rubinstein, New York
Sale Helena Rubinstein, Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, April 27, 1966, lot 604
Collection of Geoffrey Beene, New York
Sale Geoffrey Beene, Sotheby's, New York, September 24, 2005, lot 103
Private collection, New York