Mary of Burgundy
Modeled before 1844, cast c. 1850
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
52.1 × 45.7 × 22.9 cm (20 1/2 × 18 × 9 in.)
Classification
statuette
Department
Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
70981
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Jean-Auguste Barre was celebrated for his statuettes of contemporary celebrities and historical personages. This sculpture is a particularly ambitious example of a small bronze depicting a historical subject. Mary of Burgundy (1457–1482), the daughter and heiress of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, died unexpectedly in a riding accident. Barre depicted the moment just before her tragic fall, as she hunts with a falcon, accompanied by a page. The rich attention to detail on the bronze’s surfac...