Chaim Azriel Weizmann
- Artist: Sir Jacob Epstein
- Date: 1934
- Medium: bronze
- Dimensions: 17 7/8 in. x 23 1/4 in. (455 mm x 590 mm) overall
- Portrays: Chaim Azriel Weizmann
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is a bronze bust of Chaim Azriel Weizmann, completed in 1934 by Sir Jacob Epstein. The piece measures about 58 cm high and 45 cm wide, so it sits comfortably at eye level for visitors. You’ll see the sculptor’s careful rendering of Weizmann’s profile—his strong jawline, thoughtful eyes, and slightly furrowed brow give a clear sense of his character. The bronze patina gives the bust a subtle warmth that invites close inspection.
Weizmann was born in 1874 in what is now Belarus and moved to Britain in 1904, where he worked at Manchester University. He made important contributions during World War I with his explosives research. After the war he helped found Israel and served as its first President until 1952. Epstein himself was a New‑York native of Polish‑Jewish parents; by the 1930s he had become one of Britain’s most prominent portrait sculptors.
You can look at how Epstein balances detail with bronze’s natural sheen—an elegant tribute to a pioneering Zionist leader.
See it in person
Chaim Azriel Weizmann is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
