Fifth Eclogue: A Shepherd Carving Verse on Daphnes' Funeral Mound (Le tombeau de Daphnis) Possibly 1926

Aristide Maillol renders a scene from Virgil’s Fifth Eclogue, depicting a shepherd poetically immortalizing the shepherd Daphnis by carving verse upon his tomb. The image, dominated by themes of grief, memory, and artistic tribute, carries echoes of ancient burial rites where inscribed monuments served as lasting testaments. Note how the act of carving mirrors the creative act of poetry, each perpetuating memory. This motif, linking artistic creation to the remembrance of the dead, resonates across cultures and eras. The verses recall ancient Greek epitaphs, while the shepherd’s contemplative pose echoes depictions of melancholic philosophers or saints. Such figures invite us to meditate on mortality and the power of art, revealing how the conscious act of commemoration intertwines with our subconscious fears and desires about death and legacy. As the shepherd etches into stone, he bridges the abyss, leaving a signpost of the soul across time.