The Death of Lais, Marble statue in Tuileries Garden, France.
The Death of Lais is a marble statue by Roland Mathieu-Meusnier, made in 1850 and set among the Tuileries Garden's outdoor sculptures. It shows the seated courtesan Lais, her head fallen back and her body slack, with her drapery slipping from her shoulder. The pale marble stands against the garden's gravel and clipped greenery.
Mathieu-Meusnier's marble group was carved in 1850, the year given for its inception, and was shown at the Paris Salon before entering the Tuileries. It takes up the story of Lais, the Corinthian courtesan of Greek tradition, rather than a goddess or nymph. The sculptor trained under David d'Angers, whose influence shows in the restrained modelling of the dying figure.
The title refers to Lais, the courtesan of Corinth killed by women jealous of her beauty, a subject Mathieu-Meusnier modelled in marble for the 1850 Salon. The statue stands among the Tuileries figures assembled as a public sculpture collection, so visitors meet a classical courtesan rather than a saint or monarch.
The statue sits in the central section of the Tuileries Garden, easily accessible as you walk between the Louvre Museum and Place de la Concorde. You can view the work from all angles and spot it without difficulty while strolling through the park.
The marble group was carved by Roland Mathieu-Meusnier, a pupil of David d'Angers, and shown at the 1850 Salon before entering the Tuileries. Lais, the Corinthian courtesan of Greek tradition, is shown at the moment of death, a subject drawn from antiquity rather than from Christian art.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,133 contributors worldwide.
