Cour Marly
Musée du Louvre
Anselme Flamen (1647-1717) was a French sculptor whose pieces and sculptures decorate Versailles's gardens and the Louvre.
This marble statue is an huntress nymph, sculpted between 1710 and 1714 by Flamen. It is apart of the Diana's companions cycle, ordered to the world best sculptors at the end of Louis XIV's reign.
However, the set of products has never been put together.
The nymph is escorted by a dog, happily jumping around her.
The wet drapery of the short tunic emphasizes the graceful silhouette, her raised arm dragging down the sleeve's tissue.
This statue was inspired by a famous antique sculpture brought from Italy during the Renaissance : Artémis à la biche also displayed at the Louvre.
Belonging to the Versailles's gardens since 1884, then placed in the Hall of Mirrors, it has been placed in the Cour Marly in 1997.
Did you know ?
This sculpture used to carry a bird on her raised arm, reason why she looks at her hand like that.
Source : Article on the Louvre's website
What do you think ?
What do you think about this sculpture ? Have you ever seen it ? Have you ever seen any of Diana's companions cycle ?