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Jackson Hole News and Guide
By Tibby Plasse
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Heather Jansch’s Cicero is a bronze sculpture measuring 18 by 20.75 by 6.87 inches. It is part of a 12-edition series inspired by ancient Tang Dynasty horses.
British sculptor Heather Jansch always favored the equine form.
Jansch died in 2021, making it harder for art buyers to find her work. Diehl Gallery just acquired three bronze sculptures from the late artist’s estate.
The sculptures, Chinoise, Cicero and Rufus, are part of a 12-edition series inspired by ancient Tang Dynasty horses, Gallery Director Chad Repinski said.
“These represent Jansch’s first foray into bronze casting, prior to perfecting the technique for creating driftwood work,” Repinski said. “Each is a masterpiece in its own right, evoking a feeling of relics from antiquity and capturing the spirit of old-world equine form.”
Though the term “driftwood sculptures,” is used, he said many art appreciators are surprised to learn that the material is made from sturdier elements.
“The driftwood sculptures you’ve seen are all bronze, including large scale,” Repinski said. “She starts in driftwood, but in the process of rendering that in bronze, the original is often lost.”
Repinski said that it is the same with clay or plaster, the latter being how the Tang Horses took shape.
“Many, many people are surprised to learn that the piece right in front of them is metal and not wood,” he said. “It’s a testament to the artistry.”