Maternity, Stone statue in Square Adolphe-et-Jean-Chérioux, Paris, France.
Maternity is a stone sculpture in a Paris square showing a mother and child in tender relation. The work demonstrates skilled stone carving with careful attention to the figures' forms and expressions.
The sculpture was created in 1899 by sculptor Alphonse-Amédée Cordonnier as Paris filled its public spaces with works exploring social themes. This period marked a shift in how artists approached their work in the city, moving toward everyday human subjects.
This work depicts a mother and child, reflecting the importance of family bonds in French artistic expression during the late 1800s. The placement in a public square made such domestic scenes visible to everyday passersby rather than keeping them in galleries.
The statue sits in a public square in the 15th district and is easy to reach on foot from the surrounding neighborhood. Visit during daylight hours to see the stone carving details clearly illuminated by natural light.
This work shares the square with a companion sculpture called Histoire, creating a pairing that contrasts two different artistic visions in one space. Standing together, they form a deliberate artistic dialogue that visitors can experience from multiple viewing angles.
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