La Méditerranée, Bronze statue in Carrousel Garden, Paris, France
La Méditerranée is a bronze sculpture by Aristide Maillol situated in the Carrousel Garden between the Louvre and Tuileries Garden. The work displays simple, geometric forms and stands approximately 1.1 meters tall and 0.78 meters wide.
Aristide Maillol created this bronze figure in 1905 during a period of major artistic change in Europe. The sculpture later became part of a collection of fourteen Maillol works assembled in this garden in 1964.
This bronze figure represents a shift in how French sculptors approached their work, embracing cleaner lines and simpler shapes. The piece shows how artists were moving toward a more modern visual language during its time.
The statue sits beneath mature trees near the Arc du Carrousel and is easy to reach from the main pathways of the garden. You can take time to explore all fourteen Maillol sculptures scattered throughout this same outdoor space without needing to move far.
Maillol was in his sixties when he created this work but had only recently switched to sculpture as his primary artistic focus. This late career change makes his groundbreaking approach to form even more striking for visitors to notice.
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