Marguerite
Artist
William Wetmore Story
(American, 1819 - 1895)
CultureAmerican
Datemodeled ca. 1851-58, carved 1858
MediumMarble
DimensionsOverall: 46 7/8 x 14 1/2 x 16 1/2 in. (119.1 x 36.8 x 41.9 cm)
Credit LineGift of James H. Ricau and Museum purchase
Object number86.523
Not on view
DescriptionMarble sculpture standing figure of a woman.Label TextWilliam Wetmore Story American, 1819–1895 Marguerite, modeled ca. 1851–58, carved 1858 Marble The virtuous Marguerite plucks petals from a daisy in the age-old game of “He loves me, he loves me not.” The character found many admirers in America by the 1820s, after she appeared in the play Faust by the German author Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. On stage, Marguerite’s innocence contrasted with her lover’s dangerous desire for knowledge and power. In a sculpture gallery, William Wetmore Story’s chaste marble maiden likewise would have offered an alternative to more sensuous nudes like Hiram Powers’ Proserpine, seen to the right. Finely carved embroidery on the girl’s costume adds to the sophistication of this piece. Gift of James H. Ricau and Museum purchase 86.523Exhibition History"The Ricau Collection," The Chrysler Museum, Norfolk, Va., February 26 - April 23, 1989. "Behind the Seen: The Chrysler's Hidden Museum," Large Changing Gallery, Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Va., October 21, 2005 - February 19, 2006. "Reopening of the Joan P. Brock Galleries," Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Va., Opening in March of 2008. Published ReferencesH. Nichols B. Clark, _A Marble Quarry: The James H. Ricau Collection of Sculpture at The Chrysler Museum of Art_ (New York: Hudson Hills Press, Inc., 1997).
