Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Randolph Rogers, “The Lost Pleiade”, 1874-75, Marble


Randolph Rogers, “The Lost Pleiade”, 1874-75, Marble
Originally uploaded by Noisypond.

“In creating this sculpture, Randolph Rogers was inspired by the Roman author Ovid’s poem ‘Fasti’, which recounts the legend of the seven sister stars who lived among the constellations. Merope, the youngest sister, married Sisyphus and hid herself in shame because he was a mortal. This sculpture depicts the outcast Merope as she seeks out her celestial family. With its unclothed torso, ‘The Lost Pleiade’ is Rogers’s closest approach to a complete nude. Although the reference to ‘Fasti’ would not have been understood by a general audience, the literary title reassured Victorian viewers that this partially nude woman was not intended as an erotic image.”

4 comments:

yasser said...

the statue is beautiful

Eclecta said...

Isn't it, though? Thanks for visiting, Yasser! I had fun cruising through your blog! :)

E.

Eclecta said...

Hi Lauren - thanks for visiting and posting a comment! I didn't know that there were other versions of this sculpture!

This photo was taken at the Art Institute of Chicago - have you been there?

E.

Anonymous said...

I did an Internet search and have found two (2) more copies: The first is located at the Bershire Museum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and the second one is locate at the Minneapolis Institute of Art in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Eric, at http://home.att.net/~peridotdreams