Amphitrite 18th - 19th century

Editor: This is "Amphitrite," a bronze sculpture by Michel Anguier, dating from the 18th or 19th century, and residing here at the Met. I’m struck by how serene she looks, almost caught in a moment of quiet contemplation amidst all that classical drama. What catches your eye in this piece? Curator: You know, that tranquility is precisely what I find so compelling. She isn't just a sea goddess; there's a sense of interiority here, as though she’s musing on the ocean's secrets, her secrets. Notice how Anguier drapes her in that delicate fabric, strategically placed, teasing the eye, right? There's an incredible dynamism created with stillness and suggested movement! She’s riding atop some sort of... creature... but not posed aggressively; I almost wonder what this piece might communicate about how artists felt compelled to represent idealized femininity and beauty in the 18th/19th centuries. Does it subvert the stereotype, maybe? What do you think? Editor: It's funny you mention interiority. At first glance, she appears to adhere to the idealized female form, yet something about the softness in her gaze seems to pull away from the typical objectification in classic depictions. Curator: Exactly! It is a dance between representation and the artist's imagination. Now, think about bronze as the medium. She seems cool to the touch but conveys a lively sense of warmth. Editor: I see that interplay now, between the coolness of the bronze and the goddess of the sea that's also meant to feel inviting, feminine, or fertile even. Thanks for showing me how those details can speak volumes. Curator: Anytime. Every artwork holds a myriad of stories; we simply need to lend an ear...or, perhaps, an eye.