The Bashful One is one of Bory Jenő’s best-known female figures, born from the artistic preservation of an everyday, spontaneous gesture. Through its subtle rendering of feminine modesty and an instinctive defensive gesture, the sculpture became one of the artist’s most cherished works.
The story of The Bashful One is connected with the Képzőművészeti Főiskola. When modelling from a live model was first introduced, a young model arrived at the studio, accompanied by her mother as far as the school building; she even looked in after her daughter at the studio. Standing on the platform, the girl instinctively raised her hands before her face so that her mother would not recognise her. Bory Jenő was taken by the unexpected gesture, and it provided the central idea for the later sculpture.
The work depicts a standing female figure who covers her face with both hands. The gesture conveys modesty, embarrassment and playfulness at once. Bory captured the naturalness of the movement, so that the sculpture has the effect not of an idealised allegory but of a lifelike human moment.
The work was also made in several versions. The best-known marble version may be seen at Bory Castle. Bory Jenő’s students also took part in carving it; in summer, he invited them from the Képzőművészeti Főiskola to the castle for professional practice. A charming story is also associated with the sculpture: Varga Ferenc, sculptor and former student of Bory, later recounted that one of the sculpture’s fingers was accidentally broken off during the work. The students feared that the master would be angry, but Bory received the mishap calmly. The reattached piece may still be seen on one of the marble sculpture’s fingers.
A pyrobasalt version, 135 centimetres high, may also be viewed in the studio section of Bory Castle. A 55-centimetre bronze version of the composition is in private ownership.
The sculpture was also shown in contemporary exhibitions. The pyrobasalt version appeared under the title “Modest” at the Műcsarnok exhibition of 1926, where both the public and the profession took notice of the work’s subtle depiction of the human figure.
Within Bory Jenő’s oeuvre, The Bashful One is one of the most cherished sculptures depicting female figures; with its simple story and direct human content, it remains a favourite among visitors to Bory Castle.