Dolores

Sir Jacob Epstein 1880 - 1959

Summary

Bronze head of woman with wavy hair pulled back from face, tied at back of head and straight fringe. Heavy lidded eyes and prominent nose. This is the last of a series of four portraits of Dolores made between 1921 and 1923. In his biography, Epstein wrote of her "In the studio she was the devoted model, never allowing anything to interfere with posing, taking it seriously; a religious rite...In 1923, I made one more head of her, which I think is the best work I did from the beautiful and fantastic Dorlores...Her endless amours were a boon to Fleet Street journalists, and when she died of cancer, suddenly, they must have regretted the passing of a character so colourful, and so accessible". According to Richard Buckle in his book 'Jacob Epstein' 1963, Dolores liked taking off her clothes, lived on anyone who could support her, told cynical stories of her own misdeeds and was an extreme exhibitionist. Just before the First World War, she had sung and danced at Madame Strindberg's Cabaret Theatre Club.