Photo: TMP
Photo: TMP

Large Female Bust

USA, 1900
<p>A table top sculpture of a female bust. The head is on a bell shaped form.  The head is turned to the woman's left, the eyes are also looking to the left; they are outlined with heavy black lines. There are very pronounced black eye brows. The well formed lips and closed mouth slant up to the left. There are lines of stringy grey hair topped with a hair bun. The body is dressed in a light pink <span>garment with a </span>round neck . A white tear drop shaped piece of clay appears to hang from a painted on black cord. There is a black line at the base where a coil of clay circles the piece. The right ear shows, it has a ball of white clay attached to the lobe.</p><p>A close up of the right side shows the head looking away. Stringy grey hair covers the top of the head. The bun is at the top. The ear with the white ball of clay is visible. The black cord and line at the base show. There is a sharp crease on the shoulder running from the neckline to the base.</p><p>A close up of the face and right shoulder shows the peachy tan skin to be very pocked and irregularly colored. Half the left eye and shoulder are out of the picture. The black lines around the features are very strong. There are incised lines under the broad black eye brows. The right ear with the white clay ball is there. The garment is blotchy light pink. The black cord is at the neckline, the tear drop piece of white clay is obvious.  </p><p>A view of the head from the left side shows the messy black hair over blotches of light pink and green. Stingy grey hair leads to black lines going up the sides of the bun. The right ear sticks out.</p><p>A tight close up from the bottom of the nose to the bun. Only half the nose shows, the right side of the bun is not seen. The skin is very blotchy,  the eye is outlined with strong black lines, the eye brow with the incised lines is very black. There are a few faint grey lines of hair until the bun where there are many black lines. The left ear with a white ball is seen.</p><p>The piece is laying on its back. The oval black underside is in the front, the pink garment with the white pendent is next, then the chin, cheeks, lips, and right ear are seen as the image moves back and up  toward the head.</p>
Clay Studio of Missoula Permanent Collection, Montana
Date acquired:
Materials:
Stoneware
Form - Functional: N/A
Form - Sculptural:
Installation - small/intimate scale
Method:
Hand-Built
Surface Technique: N/A
Kiln Type: N/A
Glazes:
Glaze
Kicki Masthem
Clay Studio of Missoula Permanent Collection, Montana

Masthem in other collections

TMP collaborates with the finest public and private collections of modern and contemporary American ceramics in the United States. Browse collections to learn about artists and their works. Reach out to us to become a collection partner.

 

Note:

These records have been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced.

Last updated: April 22, 2026

The Marks Project encourages the use of images found on this website for personal, noncommercial use, including educational and scholarly purposes. Some images may be protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights. To request permission to use an image from our website please contact info@themarksproject.org

This resource is for educational use and its contents may not be reproduced without permission. Please review our Terms of Use for more information.