Superb Alabaster Sculpture, Young Elegant Woman, Signed By Antonio Del Perugia, Art Nouveau

This work is a magnificent alabaster sculpture, representing a graceful young woman in full ascent on a large rock. Her bare feet, a sign of freedom and naturalness, seem to barely touch the rock, giving an impression of lightness and movement. She is dressed in a fine dress, carefully draped, which delicately hugs her body and floats elegantly in the wind, creating a subtle contrast between the softness of the fabric and the solidity of the stone. This dress, although covering most of her body, nevertheless reveals part of her chest, with one breast revealed, accentuating the sensuality of the work without falling into excess. The young woman's face is turned slightly backwards, adding a touch of mystery to her expression, perhaps to signify a nostalgic or dreamy look towards what she is leaving behind. The artist behind this sculpture, Antonio Del Perugia, is a renowned Italian sculptor of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Although his name is not as famous as some of his contemporaries, his work demonstrates remarkable technical mastery and a unique artistic sensibility. Born in a small town in Italy, he was quickly drawn to art and more specifically to sculpture. After studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, he specialized in sculpture in alabaster, a fine and delicate stone that he was able to magnify thanks to his talent. Alabaster, although softer than marble, allows a finesse and transparency that are perfectly suited to light and poetic scenes like this one. The choice of this stone gives the sculpture an almost ethereal appearance, where the light seems to caress the surface, emphasizing the purity of the lines and the elegance of the forms. The work in question fits perfectly into the Art Nouveau movement, an artistic movement that emerged at the end of the 19th century and was characterized by the use of sinuous, organic lines and a great attention to nature and femininity. This sculpture reflects the typical themes of this movement: nature, represented here by the rock and the wind that ruffles the young woman's dress, and femininity, highlighted by the grace of the forms and the delicate movement of the body. The young woman's body, partly naked, is treated with a gentleness and respect that evoke the ideals of beauty of the time, while at the same time showing a measured audacity. This style, although distinct from the previous classicism, nevertheless retains a certain search for formal perfection. The signature of Antonio Del Perugia on the back of the sculpture testifies to its origin and authenticity. Measuring 40.5 cm high, this work is of a relatively modest size, but it manages, despite its size, to capture a feeling of grandeur and movement. This item is available for sale in my shop at 57 rue Victor Hugo, 76000 Rouen Possibility of delivery (ask for a transport quote) You can follow me on my Instagram by following this link: https://www.instagram.com/patrick.boussougant/ Back to the shop: Online sale of antique objects and furniture, purchase in complete security (abnantiquites.com)