A Life Sculpted in Realism: The World of Malvina Hoffman Malvina Cornell Hoffman, born in New York City in 1885, emerged as a pivotal figure in American sculpture during a period defined by both artistic innovation and societal change. Her journey began within a household steeped in creativity—her father, Richard Hoffman, was a celebrated concert pianist and composer, while her mother, Fidelia Marshall Lamson Hoffman, possessed a musical talent of her own. This nurturing environment fostered an early appreciation for the arts, though Malvina’s path would ultimately lead her to three-dimensio…