Professor Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz

Preston Powers

National Gallery of Art

The sculpture depicts a middle-aged man with a calm expression. The subject has detailed facial features, including lines around the eyes and mouth that suggest age. His hair is styled to frame his face, with longer sections on the sides. The sculpture is made of white marble, giving it a smooth, polished appearance with some small natural veining. The marble gives the bust a lifelike quality due to its sheen and color variations, resembling human skin. The bust is mounted on a circular base, with the shoulders and upper chest slightly defined. The style focuses on realism and capturing the texture and form of the subject's features.