Hoffman, Malvina

Hoffman, Malvina, 1887–1966, American sculptor, b. New York City. She was a pupil of Rodin. Of her spirited figures representative examples are Pavlowa gavotte (Stockholm, Sweden) and Russian Dancers. Her portraits include those of John Muir (American Mus. of Natural History, New York City), Ivan Mestrovic (Brooklyn Mus., N.Y.), and busts of Paderewski as artist and as statesman. Her most impressive achievement is a series of 100 bronze portraits of racial types (Hall of Man, Field Mus., Chicago). To procure material for this anthropological gallery, Miss Hoffman traveled about the world for five years. She wrote an account in Heads and Tales (1936); her Sculpture Inside and Out was published in 1939.