Carrara marble sculpture, late 19th – early 20th century
Art Nouveau Style
(89 × 25 × 25 cm)
A refined full-round sculpture in white Carrara marble, an expression of the aesthetic sensibility of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, at the height of the Art Nouveau style. The work depicts a young female figure in a collected and graceful pose, captured in a moment of quiet introspection.
The composition is distinguished by its balanced proportions and natural movement: the slightly bent body is wrapped in soft, flowing drapery that elegantly adheres to the curves, leaving part of the torso exposed. In her right hand, the figure holds a basket full of fruit, a symbolic element that recalls the themes of nature, abundance, and the life cycle, particularly dear to the Art Nouveau decorative language.
The work fits into the decorative taste of the Belle Époque, in which the female figure became the privileged subject, interpreted according to canons of grace, harmony, and naturalism. The reference to nature and the softness of the lines are fully reminiscent of the Art Nouveau language, with influences that dialogue between academic sculpture and modern sensibility.
