19th century French bust of Diana the Huntress - Houdon 29¼"

Signed by the celebrated French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon, this impressive terracotta bust of Diana the Huntress dates to the 1800s. In Roman mythology, Diana is the goddess of the hunt, thus the antlers on her head. The perfect statement piece for French sculpture and history enthusiasts looking to add a piece of history and craft to their home.

A prolific and celebrated French sculpture artist, Jean-Antoine Houdon was born March 20, 1741, in Versailles, and died July 15, 1828, in Paris. Houdon is famous for his portrait busts and statues of philosophers, inventors and political figures of the Enlightenment. After producing several busts and statues of Napoleon, he was awarded the Legion d'Honneur in 1809. The bulk of his work can be seen in the Louvre in Paris, though his work can also be found in museums across the world, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and museums in Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and the US.

Notably connected to the US, Houdon was close friends with Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, whom he met in Paris, and his rendering of Jefferson survives in the Jefferson dollar and the nickel. He was also commissioned by the American Congress to come to Philadelphia to create a statue and bust of George Washington. (Benezit Guide).