Mary of Burgundy
Jean-Auguste Barre
1820–1844
- Medium
- Bronze
- Dimensions
- 52.1 × 45.7 × 22.9 cm (20 1/2 × 18 × 9 in.)
- Genre
- statuette
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Styles
Tags
firing (heating)nineteenth century19th centuryroyalwomancasting (process)CrownsfalconsfrenchSoldiersportraitbirdswordsroyaltysculptureinorganic materialnonferrous metalbronzestatuetteweaponssculptingcopper alloyqueensnobilityhorsemetal
About
Jean-Auguste Barre was celebrated for his statuettes of contemporary celebrities and historical personages. This sculpture is a particularly ambitious example of a small bronze depicting a historical subject. Mary of Burgundy (1457–1482), the daughter and heiress of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, died unexpectedly in a riding accident. Barre depicted the moment just before her tragic fall, as she hunts with a falcon, accompanied by a page. The rich attention to detail on the bronze’s surface contributes to the pictorial nature of the composition.