IN THE MUSEUMS : Musée Nissim de Camondo, Paris  

White marble bust – Louis XVI

white marble bust represents a young woman (Summer).

Signed by Jean-Antoine Houdon.
Musée Nissim de Camondo, Paris.

This white marble bust represents a young woman. She wears a peplos exposing one of her breasts. In 1781, Houdon crafted two life-size statues symbolising Winter and Summer. They represent a freezing young girl and a gardener carrying a watering can. These sculptures were so popular their success encouraged the artist to craft the same models in other materials: this white marble bust, representing Summer, is one of them. In the 18th century, artists used to create paintings and sculptures to symbolise the seasons.