Max Bachmann (German/American, 1862–1921)
Son of Man, 1892 (cast 2022)
Bronze
Dimensions: 30 × 18 × 13 in.
This contemplative bust of Christ, titled Son of Man, was originally created by German-born sculptor Max Bachmann for the 1892 Chicago World’s Fair, where it was exhibited alongside works by leading American sculptors such as Daniel Chester French and Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The bust depicts Jesus with serene intensity, his upward gaze and parted lips suggesting both divine calling and human vulnerability.
Bachmann trained in Germany before emigrating to New York in the 1880s. He gained prominence for his sensitive portrait work, including commissions for the Pulitzer family’s New York headquarters and two enduring busts of Abraham Lincoln—one bearded, one clean-shaven—which are still reproduced today. Later in his career, Bachmann taught at the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts, where he completed this sculpture. The original plaster was lost for over a century until its rediscovery enabled this posthumous bronze casting in 2022.
Interpretive Commentary: “Son of Man”
“Son of man” is used no less than 192 times in the Bible—108 times in the Old Testament and 84 in the New. Most notably in Daniel 7:13, it refers to the coming Messianic King and Judge. In the New Testament, Jesus often uses the title to emphasize his identification with humanity. As Rabbi Mark Robinson explains, “The Son of Man came… to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
The sculpture invites reflection on Christ’s dual role as divine figure and human sufferer. Through its naturalistic modeling and spiritual depth, Son of Man exemplifies Bachmann’s commitment to classical form and religious meaning.
