Desmond Tutu Bust Maquette in Bronze by Carol Bryant

This maquette is the compact version of Carol Bryant's bronze sculpture of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, cast at just under half the scale of the full bust. The story is the same one that shaped the larger piece, a breakfast meeting after early service at St George's Cathedral, a challenge over who could sculpt his nose correctly, and a friendship that grew from the sittings that followed.

At 28 cm tall, the maquette suits a desk, a bookshelf or a study in a way the full bust cannot, without losing the likeness that made the original a success with the Archbishop and his wife Leah. Bronze holds the detail in his features, particularly around the eyes and the set of the mouth, that gives the portrait its warmth.

The maquette is part of 'Where the wild things come to rest', Carol Bryant's exhibition at Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate, running from 2 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. Both the maquette and the full-size bust are available to buy for the length of the show, giving collectors a choice between the two scales of the same portrait.

From the Artist

"This sculpture is my only departure from the animal form. It came about over Friday morning breakfast with the Archbishop and others after early service in St George's Cathedral in Cape Town. He asked me what I did for a living, and when I said I was a sculptor, he laughed and told me nobody could get his nose right. I offered to try, and quite a long time later, after much blood, sweat and tears on my part, he and his wife Leah were delighted with the result." 

Details

• Material: Bronze
• Dimensions: 28 x 13 x 29 cm (L x W x H)
• Weight: 4.5 kg
• Price: On enquiry 

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