Displaying his quintessential Rococo inspiration, Carrier-Belleuse carved one of his favorite subjects, Diana the Huntress, seen here exchanging a contented gaze with her faithful canine companion. The artist’s signature intricate styling of the hair is contrasted with the smoothness through the torso and complimented with the finer details of the hound’s fur and cascading drapery.
As the court sculptor of the Second Empire, Carrier-Belleuse epitomized the elegance and style of the era. Though his works in marble are rarer today at auction than his work in other media, his marble renderings garnered the attention and praise of his contemporaries. One such example is Hébé endormie, which he carved only three years after the present work and was purchased in the same year by the Ministry for the House of the Emperor and Fine Arts- now at the Musée d’Orsay (RF 163).
It was Diana, however, that was perhaps the sculptor’s favorite subject and which he treated throughout his career. Diana victorieuse was exhibited in the Salon of 1887 and has been the most popular model for the artist. Standing with her arms akimbo and gazing triumphantly to the distance, the sculpture portrays a determined youthful energy. In contrast, the present work represents an equally confident figure but with a quiet and self-contented assurance conveyed in her relaxed posture and accentuated grace.