Oceania, Cast iron sculpture at Musée d'Orsay, France
Oceania is a cast iron sculpture representing the continent through a female figure and stands on the grounds of the Musée d'Orsay. The work measures approximately 2.12 meters (7 feet) tall and 1.48 meters (5 feet) wide, showing the craftsmanship typical of 19th-century cast iron art.
Mathurin Moreau created this statue in 1878 for the Paris Universal Exhibition, initially displaying it at the Palais du Trocadéro alongside five other continental figures. The work eventually found its permanent home at the Musée d'Orsay as part of the museum's European art collection.
The figure is part of a series of continental representations that shows how French artists of the 19th century viewed the world. This way of depicting continents through female figures was common at the time and reflects the artistic views of the era.
The sculpture is located on the grounds of the Musée d'Orsay, which sits near the Seine and is easily reached by public transport. Since it stands outdoors, you can view it during any daylight hours when the museum is open.
The statue spent nearly five decades stored in Nantes before returning to Paris in 1985 as part of an exchange that also involved a Sisley painting. This unusual journey shows how artworks travel between museum collections and are reassessed over time.
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