River, Lead sculpture in the Jardin du Carrousel, 1st arrondissement of Paris, France
River is a lead sculpture by French artist Aristide Maillol depicting a female figure in a reclining pose on her left side. The work demonstrates his characteristic style through its solid, simplified form and the careful balance of the body's positioning.
Maillol created La Rivière in 1938 as a lead sculpture, cast by Alexis and Eugène Rudier; the plaster model has since disappeared. In 1964–65 André Malraux and Dina Vierny installed this example in the Carrousel Garden, part of a group of eighteen Maillol statues bequeathed by Vierny, with Vierny supervising the installation. Robert Doisneau photographed the operation.
The figure depicts a female model who appeared regularly in Maillol's work and embodied his artistic vision of the human form. She represents his approach to depicting the female body as a subject of formal exploration rather than narrative.
The sculpture stands in the Carrousel Garden between the wings of the Louvre and is accessible via paved pathways that wind through the formal garden areas. The location is easy to reach and sits within a public garden that visitors can freely explore.
The plaster model of 1938 has disappeared, so the lead casts made by Alexis and Eugène Rudier are what remain of the work. The Paris example was installed in 1964–65 on the initiative of André Malraux, after Dina Vierny gave eighteen Maillol statues to the state; Doisneau photographed the installation.
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