HistoricSiteMarkers
Progressive & Modern Era

Malvina Hoffman

New York, New York, New York

Marker Inscription

Malvina Hoffman 1887-1966 The sculptor of numerous works in bronze and marble, a pupil of Rodin, lived here from 1914 to 1966. Her series of 101 portraits, Races of Man (1930-35), a result of an anthropological study trip around the world, reflected the variety of human forms.

Erected by Historic Landmarks Preservation Center

The Story

For half a century this address was the studio home of Malvina Hoffman, a sculptor trained under Auguste Rodin who won fame for her expressive figures in bronze and marble. In the 1930s she traveled the globe on an ambitious anthropological commission, producing 101 sculpted portraits titled "Races of Man" that sought to capture the diversity of humanity. She lived and worked here until her death in 1966.

Why it matters

Hoffman ranked among the most accomplished American sculptors of her generation—a woman who reached the top of a field long dominated by men.

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