Air 1745 - 1765

Editor: Standing here, in front of "Air," a marble sculpture from 1745-1765 by Jean-Pierre Defrance, housed here at the Met, I'm struck by the softness the artist was able to create with marble! How do you see this sculpture relating to the element of air? Curator: Ah, yes! What seems to me like wispy, draped clothing, along with the cherubic figure nestled against her, suggests a gentle breeze, perhaps even the playful nature of Zephyrus, the Greek god of the west wind. There's an ethereal quality, don’t you think, in the way the folds cascade, almost as if caught mid-flow? Is it possible it feels more earthly to you? Editor: Earthly, perhaps, only in the grounded weight of the marble. The way the figure gazes down does give off an atmospheric feeling. I do see the softness in the drapes as you suggest and perhaps the breath on her face from the cherubic child makes it "air"? It feels like there is a moment happening here of softness. Curator: Exactly! Defrance beautifully captured a fleeting moment. This sculpture lives and breathes, doesn’t it? The way she looks down to meet her "air". Editor: This gives me a completely new perspective, thank you! Curator: Absolutely! It seems you have brought earth to my air today.