Saint Elizabeth of Hungary 1851

This marble bust of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary was created by Félicie de Fauveau, a French artist working in the 19th century. Fauveau belonged to a small circle of sculptors who rejected Neoclassicism in favor of earlier Gothic and Renaissance styles. The choice of Saint Elizabeth as a subject is telling. Elizabeth was a 13th-century princess who devoted her life to the poor, and the artist's revival of medieval piety speaks to the religious conservatism of post-revolutionary France. Here, the saint’s humility is accentuated by her lowered gaze and folded hands. The elaborate base, decorated with quatrefoils and stylized foliage, further emphasizes the artist's debt to the Middle Ages. It also subtly reflects the revival of craft production in France, a reaction to industrial capitalism. To fully understand this sculpture, we might look at 19th-century French history, religious movements, and the writings of art critics. Only then can we appreciate how Fauveau's work both reflected and shaped the cultural values of her time.