Velleda

Digitised with an Artec Eva. Laurent Marqueste (1848-1920) exhibited Velleda at the 1877 Salon. The character is drawn from Chateaubriand's Martyrs (1809). The Germanic prophetess Velleda was betrayed by her own people after having roused part of Gaul against Rome, where she was to die in captivity. Very close to the text, this sculpture shows the period's fascination with Celtic themes and more generally with national subject matter. Cupid in the Salon Rouge (RA 1044) shows once again the artist's loyalty to Antique statuary. Here, Velleda appeasr in the guise of a fierce young woman, at once haughty and meditative, with a sulky mouth. Its smooth modelling and harmonious forms embody the idealized feminine beauty.