A large patinated bronze figure of Ondine

A large patinated bronze figure of Ondine
French, 1874
Figure: height 77cm, width 25cm, depth 32 cm
Base: height 122 cm, width 37cm, depth 37cm
 
This intriguing statue depicts the water nymph Ondine, an enduring and popular figure in a multitude of European mythological traditions. Originally conceived as group of water deities in the writings of Paracelsus in the German Renaissance, 'Ondine' or 'Undine' has become her own character, a nymph who becomes human and loses her immortality when she falls in love with a man, whom she often curses for his infidelity. A popular choice for the sculptor interested in exploring the female form, especially one which is young, vulnerable, and beautiful, she lends herself well to sensitive and sensual works of sculpture. Here her pose is uncertain and contorted. She raises her right hand to wring her hair, and she holds her dress her with her left hand, which appears soaked and heavy with the weight of the water. The composition is constructed around the long arc that extends down the right side of her torso, and the patina of the bronze lends her a texture that gives her a wonderful naturalism.