Statue

Eugène Arrondelle, Statue, 1896, cast, painted and patined terra cotta; marble base, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Laura Dreyfus Barney and Natalie Clifford Barney in memory of their mother, Alice Pike Barney, 1968.159.302
Copied Eugène Arrondelle, Statue, 1896, cast, painted and patined terra cotta; marble base, 20 1⁄2 x 11 13⁄16 x 11 1⁄4 in. (52 x 30 x 28.5 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Laura Dreyfus Barney and Natalie Clifford Barney in memory of their mother, Alice Pike Barney, 1968.159.302
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Statue
Artist
Date
1896
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
20 1⁄2 x 11 13⁄16 x 11 1⁄4 in. (52 x 30 x 28.5 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Laura Dreyfus Barney and Natalie Clifford Barney in memory of their mother, Alice Pike Barney
Mediums
Mediums Description
cast, painted and patined terra cotta; marble base
Classifications
Keywords
  • Figure female — bust
Object Number
1968.159.302
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1968.159.302

Artwork Description

Little is known about the artist Eugène Arrondelle. This statue probably represents the mythological goddess Erato, one of the nine Muses of the liberal arts and sciences and the patroness of lyric and love poetry. Erato is usually shown playing a lyre, but Arrondelle's version shows the Greek instrument carved on the front of her crown. The sculptor ornamented the dress with leaf patterns taken from costumes used in French court operas. This work was given to the Museum in honor of Alice Pike Barney, a noted painter, playwright, and patron of the arts in Washington.