Diana The Huntress, A Bronze Sculpture By Alexandre Falguière (1831–1900)

This majestic bronze sculpture, titled Diana the Huntress, is the work of renowned French sculptor Alexandre Falguière, created in 1882. The Roman goddess of the hunt is depicted in a pose full of movement and grace, embodying both strength and femininity in a style characteristic of 19th-century French academic sculpture.
Diana’s posture is both dynamic and balanced. Her right arm is raised in a noble and commanding gesture, while her left hand holds a slightly inclined bow. Her gaze is directed into the distance, capturing a moment in which she appears poised to draw her bow for the next arrow. Her delicately sculpted body reveals natural curves and subtly defined musculature, accentuated by a warm patina that enhances the modeling of the bronze.
The sculpture’s base features a fluid ornamental motif, illustrating a stylized wave or cloud, which reinforces the impression of movement and lightness in the figure. This finely crafted circular base adds an elegant touch to the composition and highlights the harmonious silhouette of the goddess. The sculpture is mounted on a Belgian bluestone base, bringing the total height to 82.5 cm.
The work is signed on the base and bears the stamp of the Thiebaut Frères Foundry, Paris, a mark of high-quality craftsmanship and refined execution.
Details such as the crescent moon adorning her hair, a traditional emblem of Diana, showcase Falguière’s exquisite attention to detail. The expression on her face, both stern and graceful, lends the composition an air of mysticism.
This sculpture perfectly illustrates Falguière’s mastery in representing mythological figures while embracing a naturalistic approach that diverges from the purely idealized canons of Antiquity. An example of this sculpture is currently housed in the Musée des Augustins in Toulouse, confirming its significance in 19th-century French sculpture history.
This piece stands as a magnificent testament to Falguière’s talent and his key role in the evolution of French sculpture at the end of the 19th century. It is an ideal addition to a prestigious collection or a refined classical interior.


Biography Alexandre Falguière (1831-1900)

Falguière was born in Toulouse. A student at the École des Beaux-Arts, he won the Prix de Rome in 1859; he received the Medal of Honor at the Paris Salon in 1868 and was named an Officer of the Legion of Honor in 1878. Falguière's first important bronze statue was "Le Vainqueur au Combat de Coqs" (1864), followed by Tarcisius, the Christian Child Martyr, in 1867; both were exhibited at the Musée du Luxembourg and are currently in the Musée d'Orsay. His most important monuments are those of Admiral Courbet (1890) in Abbeville and the famous Joan of Arc. Other works include Eve (1880), Diana (1882 and 1891), Woman and Peacock, and The Poet, astride his Pegasus which spreads its wings to fly away. He sculpted The Dancer, after Cleo de Mérode, which is also in the Musée d'Orsay today. To these works must be added the Honoré de Balzac, which he executed for the Société des gens de lettres which refused that of Auguste Rodin, and the busts of Carolus-Duran. Falguière was both a painter and a sculptor. Falguière became a member of the Institut de France (Académie des Beaux-Arts) in 1882. Falguière died in Paris in 1900 and is buried in the Père Lachaise cemetery, where his monument was made by his student Marqueste.