Ecce Puer (Impression of a Child)

This bust, a portrait of six-year-old Alfred Mond, is a fleeting model that captures the fluidity of the child’s head and dispenses with showing any detailed work on the face. Rosso’s preferred material was soft wax, which was more suitable for his particular artistic designs than any other material. The subsequent bronze casting limits the meaningfulness of Rosso’s small sculpture somewhat. The 20th century was slow to appreciate this artist; in his day, Rosso’s work were seen more as a bozzetti, as three-dimensional designs, rather than as works of art. However, he was much admired by Rodin, among others.