Corrections Supported by the Record

The current state of the documentary record supports a specific set of corrections to the published literature on this bust. These corrections are grounded in primary sources and can be stated with confidence appropriate to the available evidence.

First, the sitter should be described as a documented historical person, not merely a name. Blanche Denise Ferrero-Willmann was born in Saint-Denis around 1880, married in Paris in 1898, connected to the Parisian sculptural world through her husband’s professional work, and resident in Paris during the period most consistent with a Bugatti portrait commission. She migrated to the United States in 1907. She died on 13 November 1968. Her biography is reconstructable from civil records, migration documents, and patent files.

Second, the bust should be dated as circa 1904, or described as dating from Bugatti’s early Paris years. This is the period most consistent with the sitter’s documented presence in the city, her husband’s professional connections, and the stylistic conventions visible in the work. The date should be accompanied by a note that it is the probable date based on available evidence.

Third, the 1920–1930 date range should be explicitly flagged as contested and not used without qualification in any future publication. Responsible catalog practice requires that a dating claim be traceable to evidence. This one is not. Any republication that carries the late date without flagging its contested status is repeating an error that can now be identified and corrected.