Cast from a model by Gaston Leroux, circa 1888

Inscribed Gaston Leroux

37 in (94 cm) high, 26 in (66 cm) wide, 20 in (50.8 cm) deep

Gaston Leroux (1845-1942), a renowned 19th-century Orientalist sculptor and regular exhibitor at the Paris Salons, first exhibited in 1882 at the age of 28, and his work over the next 20 years was largely dominated by Orientalist subjects, like the present figure of Othello. His most acclaimed subjects were inspired by characters from contemporary opera and literature. This model was first presented by Leroux at the Salon in 1888.

Othello is the title character of William Shakespeare's tragic play Othello, The Moor of Venice. It is believed to have been written in about 1603, and is an anguished drama concerning love, jealousy and retribution.