CAST AFTER A MODEL BY SÉRAPHIM DENÉCHEAU, LATE 19TH CENTURY

A student of Rude and David D'Angers, Séraphin Denécheau (d. 1912) began exhibiting regularly at the Paris Salons beginning in 1859 and at the Exposition Universelle in 1867. The artist was also commissioned by a large number of Parisian institutions, most notably the Louvre, la gare du Nord and l'Opéra, to produce various works and decorations for their interiors. Though Denécheau primarily produced portait busts and monumental statuary for this purpose, he also lent his talent to more allegorical and mythological subjects, as seen here with Diana.

Diana is usually portrayed in her role as the goddess of the hunt. Because she is also a moon goddess, she is often adorned with a crescent moon on her head. In the present exemple Denénecheau has chosen to envelope Diana in her crescent.

Another example of this model sold Sotheby's London, 27 September 1991, Lot 62 (£11,000).