Minerva without a helmet
(Minerve sans casque)
(1904)
Medium
marble
Measurements
48.2 × 26.4 × 26.7 cm (overall)
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1905
Gallery location
19th Century European Paintings Gallery
Level 2, NGV International
About this work
The subject of this marble sculpture by Auguste Rodin is Minerva, the ancient Roman goddess of wisdom, the arts, justice, medicine and war. She was one of the most prominent and powerful deities worshipped in Roman times, who was gifted with extraordinary powers. In a fit of jealousy, it was she who turned Medusa, one of her most attractive priestesses, into the snake-haired monster who when gazed upon by men, turned into stone. Rather than Rodin inventing an idealised type for this goddess, the model for this sculpture is Marianna Mattiocco della Torre (1865–1908), the Italian-born wife of the Australian Impressionist artist John Peter Russell (1858–1930). Rodin thought that Marianna Russell was the most beautiful woman in Paris and he used her likeness for many subjects.
Artwork Details
Inscription
incised (diagonally) on right side below shoulder u.c.r.: A. RODIN
Accession Number
235-2
Department
International Sculpture
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Ms Carol Grigor through Metal Manufactures Limited