Female figure playing violin 1802 - 1902

Alexandre-Louis-Marie Charpentier made this bronze relief called Female Figure Playing Violin sometime around the turn of the 20th century. The turn of the century was a time of innovation in the decorative arts, and Charpentier was one of the leaders of the Art Nouveau movement in France. Here, we see a nude woman playing the violin. But why would an artist choose this subject? In the 1890s, the female nude was commonplace in academic painting and sculpture. However, Charpentier was part of a generation of artists who wanted to break down the barriers between the so-called fine arts, like painting and sculpture, and the decorative arts, like furniture design and metalwork. The figure here seems to reject prevailing norms of the time. The next time you visit the museum, take a look at the decorative arts galleries. Consider how artists like Charpentier challenged traditional ideas about art and society.