Ceres Searching for Persephone c. 1652 - 1679

Michel Anguier sculpted this bronze, "Ceres Searching for Persephone" in seventeenth-century France. The subject comes from classical mythology, but in Anguier’s time it would have been understood through a Christian lens. Here, Ceres, the goddess of agriculture, frantically seeks her daughter Persephone, who has been abducted by Hades to the underworld. Notice how the artist captures Ceres' emotional turmoil in her gesture. She is also accompanied by a dog, a symbol of fidelity, who assists her in her search. The sculpture reflects the cultural and religious context of its time, particularly the prevailing beliefs about family and the role of women. Anguier’s sculpture was produced for the French Royal court during the reign of Louis XIV, a highly controlled environment for the production of the arts. In understanding a work like this, historians investigate not only the artist's intentions but also the broader social and institutional forces that shaped its creation. Ultimately, the meaning of art is always contingent on its context.