 The Women of Amphissa. Netherlands: Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1836-1912) 1877. Oil on Canvas. Followers of Bacchus, the god of wine, awaken in the marketplace of Amphissa, Greece, where they have wandered from their home in Phocis during a night of ritual dancing. Amphissa and Phocis are at war, but the women of Amphissa graciously offer the bacchantes nourishment and protection. The painting illustrates an event recorded by the Greek historian Plutarch, which Alma-Tadema staged as a lesson in charity for his Victorian audience. |
 The Messiah. French: Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse (1828-1887) 1867. The Virgin Mary lifts the infant Jesus above her head, as if to offer her child to the world. The baby's arms are outstretched and his head hangs down in a pose that prefigures the Crucifxion. Carrier-Belleuse was often drawn to classical mythology, and even in this Christian subject, the solidity of the figures and the folds of the draperies call to mind the gods and goddesses of ancient Greek and Roman sculpture. |
 Daphnis and Chloe. French: Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (1827-1875) 1874. Marble. Daphnis caresses Chloe s neck, tenderly leaning toward her as if to whisper in her ear or brush her cheek with his lips. Carpeaux became famous, even notorious, for his dynamic sculptural compositions, which some of his contemporaries considered indecent. This marble group was inspired by Longus s Daphnis and Chloe, an ancient Greek narrative that asserts: "no one has ever escaped love, nor ever shall, so long as beauty exists and eyes can see." |
 Portrait of Giuseppe Verdi. Italian: Vincenzo Gemito (1852-1929) May 1873. This bust of Giuseppe Verdi was made in 1873, at the height of the composer's fame. Gemito, by contrast, was relatively unknown outside his hometown of Naples. The sculptor initially had difficulty finding an appropriate pose, finally arriving at this composition after seeing Verdi playing the piano. The portrait captures not only the composer's likeness, but also a sense of the intense concentration involved in musical creativity. |
 Eve. French: Auguste Rodin (1870-1917). Modeled 1883 cast 1913. Bronze small version. |
 The Forlorn Jester. French: Jean Joseph Marie Carries (1855-1894) Plaster with bronze patina. The angle of the mans head, his dissheveled hair, and the anxious expression in his eyes contrast dramatically with the festive bells dangling from his collar. This may have inspired the sculpture's alternative title, "The Forlorn Jester." Expressive heads like this one -- sometimes made from plaster treated to look like bronze-- were amonth Carries's favorite subjects. |
 Going to Market on a Misty Morning. French: Constant Troyon (1810-1865) 1851. Oil on panel. A shepherdess emerges from the morning mist, leading a cow and a flock of unruly sheep down a country road. Behind her, a man on horseback, silhouetted against the light, is impeded in his progress. This scene of rural life became quite celebrated and Troyon made several versions of it, one of which drew admiration from a young Claude Monet when it was exhibited at the 1859 Paris Salon. |
 Roses in a Bowl and Dish. French: Henri Fantin-Latour (1836 - 1904) 1885. Fantin-Latour is best known as a still life painter, though he also painted portraits and allegories. In this delicate painting, the petals of the roses, with their precise outlines, rich colors, and velvety textures, stand out against the thinly-painted, off-white background. A great admirer of the artist's work, Francine Clark asserted that Fantin-Latour was "as fine as Renoir at times." |
 Young Woman in a Pink Skirt. French: Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot (1796-1875) c. 1845-50. The identity of the figure in this painting is unknown. Her facial expression is difficult to read, but her heavily-lidded eyes and sloping shoulders suggest weariness with the world. Like several other pictures Corot painted around the time, this one may have been intended as an image of meditation or melancholy, rather than a portrait of a particular person. |