Portret van Marie Sallé in een tuin met tempel 1694 - 1755

This print by Nicolas de Larmessin the Third depicts Marie Sallé in a garden with a temple. Sallé's central pose, arm outstretched, evokes classical statuary, a gesture of offering and openness, reminiscent of ancient depictions of nymphs or muses. The presence of the temple and the statue within it allude to idealized notions of beauty and harmony, harking back to ancient Greek ideals. But note how Sallé’s lively movement contrasts with the temple’s static perfection. We see this juxtaposition echoed through art history: from Botticelli's Venus emerging from the sea to dancers frozen in mid-leap in Degas' paintings, the motif of the animated figure against a classical backdrop speaks to the tension between human dynamism and enduring ideals. Here, Sallé is not just a dancer; she's a symbol of the evolving spirit, forever engaging with the echoes of the past.