Friday, April 25, 2025

The Marble Dancer

 Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant) is a 1776 painting by George Romney, depicting the Mohawk leader during a visit to London. He would fight in the American Revolution on the side of his British allies, and lead his people into southern Ontario following the end of that war.


This bust is Voltaire, a 1778 work by Jean-Antoine Houdon, depicting the renowned French philosopher.


One of the most dramatic works in the Gallery is this large painting. The Death Of General Wolfe is by Benjamin West, depicting the dying moments of the British general James Wolfe at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham at Quebec City, which decided the fate of North America. West painted this in 1770. He would do other variants of the painting, but this one is deemed the primary one.


And here we have Dancer, a marble sculpture by Antonio Canova, dating to 1818-22. She's up on a pedestal, with a playful expression, and looking like she's about to move.

24 comments:

  1. I wonder for how long the dancer had to pose for that sculpture.

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  2. The pieces capture pivotal moments in North American history, with Brant’s portrait highlighting a complex alliance and West’s Death of General Wolfe powerfully mythologising a key turning point in empire.

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  3. Beautiful sculptures! Take care, have a great day and a happy weekend.

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  4. ...the Dancer is so elegant!

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  5. The dancer is a beauty. But Voltaire is also worth seeing.

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  6. He had to have many details in his head before he made this sculpture.

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  7. The Dancer is a beautiful sculpture.

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  8. That is a wonderful statue by Canova. Yes, she is quite life-like.

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  9. Your favourite sculpture, William.

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  10. Marble sculptures always fascinate me, so much work goes into them.

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  11. Dancing sculpture is classic and awesome showing movement in stone ~

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
    A ShutterBug Explores ~ clm
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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