"Facing the Other: Charles Cordier (1827–1905), Ethnographic Sculptor", 2004

A pioneering ethnographic study by the French sculptor Charles-Henri-Joseph Cordier (1827 - 1905), this pair of busts represents a Sudanese man and a woman from the French Colonies. Cordier’s innovative use of polychromy and his dedication to capturing the diverse beauty of humanity transformed the 19th-century sculptural tradition into a vibrant celebration of global identity.

Circa 1861, these original period works were created during the height of Cordier’s career as the official ethnographic sculptor for the National Museum of Natural History.

Crafted from a sumptuous combination of bronze and Algerian onyx-marble, the busts are further enriched with silvering, gilding, and delicate enamel ornaments. Rooted in the later realist phase of the Orientalist tradition, these works embody Cordier’s belief in the universality of beauty and his mastery of multi-material sculpture.