Statues and statuettes

Lime, corm or pear trees were frequently used for altarpiece figures. Although today we are seduced by the fine grain and golden patina of the material, we should not forget that this type of sculpture was once painted in bright colours. It was not until the eighteenth century, and especially the 19th and 20th centuries, that wood was appreciated for its inherent beauty. Previously, the sculptor's only criteria were physical qualities: solidity and ease of use, the absence of defects such as knots that weaken a log, and resistance to the passage of time.

The scene depicted is a moment of intense drama: Pilate points out Jesus to the hostile crowd by placing the purple cloak on his shoulders, a theatrical gesture frozen at the very moment when Pilate pronounces the famous Ecce homo, here is the man... which he delivers to the torture.

The representation of this biblical episode, which is precisely codified, is respected here: crown of thorns and cloak for Jesus, turban and sumptuous costume for Pilate.

The sculptor's interest in Christ's musculature, the preciousness of the clothing details and, above all, the quality of the workmanship all point to one of the best Brussels workshops of the early 16th century.

This work by Alexandre Falguière - a contemporary of Jean Mouliérat - took pride of place in one of the salons in Castelnau: Diana could be seen as an intruder among the medieval virgins and other Renaissance sculptures. It is true that this bust did not appear in the inventory of the collections in 1932, when it was donated to the State. Given to Jean Mouliérat by the City of Paris in 1888, and then probably kept in the tenor's Paris flat, it would have returned to the Château de Castelnau after his death.

This proud face is not unknown to us. Hortense Fiquet - Madame Cézanne herself - portrayed a fierce and haughty goddess of the hunt for Falguière. The crescent moon on her forehead is the traditional attribute of Diana, associated with the lunar cult. Appreciated for her antique profile and sculptural forms, Hortense posed for many artists and students at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Another important asset was that Hortense knew how to hold a pose without complaining. Her nickname, Belle Biquette, evokes the warm atmosphere of the sculpture studios! To see Falguière's Diane full-length, go to Toulouse, to the Musée des Augustins (marble exhibited at the 1887 Salon) or the Jardin des Plantes (copy of the sculpture in the Musée des Augustins)...

Falguière, along with the Toulouse school of sculpture, rejuvenated the nude subject by moving away from the classical canons. He chose to depict Diane as a contemporary woman, carnal and solid. While the marble took its place in national collections, the work of the foundryman ensured that the model (here, the detail of Diana's head) was distributed in multiple copies on the art market. The quality of the bronze, the care taken with the finishes and the patina are the hallmarks of the finest productions. This is how the bust of Diana still adorns the grand salon of the Château de Castelnau today.