Saint Tarcisius
ca. 1880
Medium
Marble
Dimensions
Overall (confirmed): H. 23 1/2 x W. 52 x D. 20 in. (59.7 x 132.1 x 50.8 cm)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture
French, Paris
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts Fund, 2007
Accession Number
2007.407
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts of the Metropolitan Museum of, Alexandre Falgui's *Saint Tarcisius* (ca. 1880) captivates with its luminous marble relief. This French sculptor's masterful work measures an impressive 23½ x 52 x 20 inches, depicting the young third-century Christian martyr Saint Tarcisius, a Roman acolyte famed for secretly carrying the Eucharist to imprisoned believers. Falguière, a leading Parisian artist of the late nineteenth century and Prix de Rome winner, infuses the piece with naturalistic vigor, characteristic of his realist style that bridged academic tra...