Davidson, Jo (1883-1952), an American portrait sculptor, created heads of many famous people. His work is direct and lifelike. His goal was to record the famous men and women of his day. Davidson worked chiefly in terra cotta and bronze. His best-known works include portraits of Mohandas Gandhi and D. H. Lawrence.
Davidson was born in New York City. He studied for three years at the Art Students League there, but then decided on a medical career. While at Yale Medical School, he saw work done by art students in a modeling class and chose to become a sculptor. He went to Paris in 1907 to work and study. Davidson served as a war correspondent during World War I (1914-1918). He lived mostly in France after the war.
