| Femme au crabe | |
|---|---|
| Material | Terra cotta |
| Size | 17.5 x 15.0 x 13.0 |
| Created | 1905 |
| Present location | Art Gallery of Ontario |
| Identification | 71/230 |
Femme au crabe is in the collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Description
editFemme au crabe (Woman with Crab, 1905) is a terra cotta piece by the sculptor Aristide Maillol. This is one of the first mature pieces by Maillol who is best known for his monumental sculptural works. These smaller works demonstrate the influence Rodin had on his young admirer, the positioning of the figures could be related to a few of Rodin’s works, Baigneuse accroupie (avec tête, 1888), Crouching woman (1880-82), The Gates of Hell.[1] But, they also indicate Maillol’s own personal style, they smoother and more refined than Rodin’s showing Maillol’s love of pre-classical ideal combined with a more modern sense of form. Femme au crabe exhibits Maillol’s interest in robust forms, and natural shapes, a passion he shared with Rodin. A key quality in Maillol’s works is the natural appearance and feeling of his subjects. They are not imbued with any symbolism or agendas. What the viewers see is exactly how Maillol’s pieces should be interpreted. Rodin enjoyed this aesthetic quality in Maillol’s work stating, “Do you know why it is so beautiful and why one can spend hours looking at it? It is. It makes no attempt to arouse curiosity.”[2]
Acquisition
editThis work was a gift of Gift of Sam and Ayala Zacks in 1970. it was acquired by the Zacks in 1951 in California.