Night, Stone sculpture in Jardin des Grands Explorateurs, France.
Night is a stone sculpture in the Jardin des Grands Explorateurs depicting a clothed woman, an unclothed man, and a dog in repose. The composition arranges the figures in a calm scene set within the garden landscape.
Charles Gumery initiated the sculpture during the 1860s, but his death during the Paris Commune in 1871 halted the work. Gabriel Jules Thomas later assumed responsibility for completing it.
The figures represent a woman and man resting together with a dog, embodying how people and animals experience the nighttime hours. They feel like characters from everyday life pausing during darkness.
The sculpture sits in a garden section within the Jardin des Grands Explorateurs and is reachable from the main Luxembourg Gardens entrance. The work remains on permanent display and is accessible during regular garden hours.
The sculpture is one of four companion works, each representing a different time of day and collectively expressing an artistic vision of daily cycles. The dog beside the human figures brings a layer of guardianship and companionship to the nighttime theme.
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