Lorado Taft, “Working Cast for The Blind,” Plaster, 1910


Sculpture

This sculpture portrays six women and six men of varying ages, all sightless. The woman in the front center is holding a baby up above her right shoulder, with both arms bent at near-right angles. The baby brings the group count to 13 figures. All the figures are dressed in robes; the female figures wear robes that cover their heads. Two of figures, one on the front left, and one on the right rear, are incredibly old; they stand in a stooping posture and support themselves with walking staffs. At the center back stands a tall male figure, both arms outstretched. Directly in front of him stands a female figure. She covers her face with both hands. The central woman holding the baby stands directly in front of her. A group of three men and two women stand on the right-hand side of the sculpture. Both women are smaller in stature than the men. They face each other, but do not stand terribly close. To the left of the central group stand two women and two men. The men are standing at the interior rear of the group. The woman in the back row is not noticeably smaller than the men she stands beside. The sculpture is modeled after an imagined scene from a play.

34 1/2 x 40 x 22 1/8″

(1860-1936)

Lorado Taft was born in Elmwood, Illinois. He attended the University of Illinois in Champagne Urbana where his father taught geology. Then Taft went to Europe for further study. After finishing his European studies, Taft returned to Illinois and lighted in Chicago. Here he found a need for his skills, as Chicago was preparing for the Columbian Exposition. Taft remained based in Chicago for the rest of his life and became an instructor at the Art Institute. Taft considered educating the public about art as his mission in life, and so he travelled around the country (and especially around the Midwest) giving lectures and demonstrations. Taft wrote two books on sculpture and won awards in 1893 at the Columbian Exposition; in 1901 at the Buffalo Exposition; and in 1904 at the St. Louis Exposition.

You can see other examples of Taft sculptures in places like Chicago, Urbana, Elmwood, and Oregon, Illinois.