Literature

The figure with two incised marks underneath, the one on the left unidentified, and on the right T. This is found on a biscuit figure of Psyche in the Wallace Collection [C494]. The socle with incised mark scrolling capital M.

Falconet exhibited the marble of this Baigneuse at the Salon in 1757.

Falconet himself may have been responsible for the plaster model of this figure which was first produced at Sèvres in 1758. The figure was initially sold at a price of 144 livres, reduced in late 1760 to 120 livres.

The pedestal is of the same shape as the more frequently found socle which accompanies the Amour Falconet and its pendant pair a seated Baigneuse but it is on a rather larger scale, which is appropriate given the size of the figure. Very few surviving examples of this large socle are known.

The base’s decoration is unusually elaborate. On the bleu lapis ground there are three types of very fine gilding: caillouté, trelliswork and oeil-de-perdrix. The reserve on the front is full of symbolism: two doves with a lit torch, a shield holding two hearts pierced by an arrow, a bow and a quiver of arrows, and an open book with the letters ACREO for Anacreon, the ancient Greek author of love poems.

The two side reserves depict aquatic themes: water gushing from an urn, symbolising a spring, and a fishing rod, fish and a net. The rear reserve has flowers.

The first sale of this model of Baigneuse on a pedestal took place on 25 June 1762, to Madame de Pompadour, with the pedestal costing 96 livres. She bought with it the Amour Falconet and its pair, also on pedestals at the same price.

Private Collection, UK, 2023