Air
ca. 1750–60
Medium
Limestone
Dimensions
Height: 7 ft. 4 3/4 in. (225.4 cm)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture
French, Rouen
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Charles Ulrick and Josephine Bay Foundation Inc. Gift, 1964
Accession Number
64.93.4
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Air** by Jean-Pierre Defrance (ca. 1750–60) is a majestic limestone sculpture standing over seven feet tall, embodying the playful elegance of French Rococo art from Rouen. Crafted during the mid-18th, when sculptors like Defrance adorned châteaus and gardens with allegorical figures, this work likely personifies the element of Air. Graceful female forms intertwined with frolicsome putti—those cherubic children symbolizing joy and whimsy—evoke lightness and movement, perfect for the Rococo's love of asymmetry, curves, and airy motifs. Limestone, a favored medium in Rouen workshops for its c...