Raffaello Romanelli

Ruth

Marble head of Ruth by sculptor Raffaello Romanelli (1856-1928)
Presented in memory of Mrs. James H. Windsor by her children in 1928-29.

The Bible’s book of Ruth tells the story of an Israelite family who, evading famine in their homeland, left Bethlehem and went to live in a different country, Moab, where their sons took Moabite wives. When the husband and then both of the sons died, the mother of the family, Naomi, was left with her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth. Deciding to return to Israel, Naomi entreated them both to stay behind in their own country, and Orpah did as she was asked. Ruth, however, insisted on staying with her aged mother-in-law, making her famous declaration: “Entreat me not to leave thee,…for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.” (Ruth, 1:16 [KJV]) Converting to her mother-in-law’s religion, Ruth returned with Naomi to Israel.

Ruth followed Naomi’s instructions to find favor with a land-owning kinsman who allowed Ruth to glean the grain dropped in the fields by the reapers. Soon, the kinsman, Boaz, decided to marry Ruth, despite her being a foreigner from Moab. The son born to them, Obed, became the grandfather of King David and thus was part of the lineage of Christ. Ruth has been regarded as a model of devotion in her willingness to remain with Naomi and accept a new way of life.

We do not know what incident in Ruth’s life the artist intended to portray. Her uplifted eyes may suggest her reply to Naomi that she would not leave her, or it may refer to her humble gleaning of grain or even her relationship to Boaz. The only element that suggests her identity is the spray of grain at the neckline of her costume.

Raffaello Romanelli was a member of an Italian artistic dynasty that began with his grandfather, Pasquale (1812-1887), who was an esteemed teacher at the Academy in Florence. Raffaello’s son, Romano (1882-1968) was a noted sculptor in the early 20th century, and the family continues to produce works of art in their studio in Florence. Pasquale’s Diana of the Louvre is also in the Hoyt Sherman Place collection.